Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oil from Ocimum basilicum (L.) against Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Aedes albopictus and Anopheles subpictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

Exp Parasitol. 2013 May;134(1):7-11. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2013.01.018. Epub 2013 Feb 4.

Abstract

The toxicity of mosquito larvicidal activity of leaf essential oil and their major chemical constituents from Ocimum basilicum were evaluated against Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Aedes albopictus and Anopheles subpictus. The chemical composition of the leaf essential oil was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. GC-MS revealed that the essential oil of O. basilicum contained 20 compounds. The major chemical components identified were linalool (52.42%), methyl eugenol (18.74%) and 1, 8-cineol (5.61%). The essential oil had a significant toxic effect against late third-stage larvae of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Ae. albopictus and An. subpictus with an LC(50) values of 14.01, 11.97 and 9.75 ppm and an LC(90) values of 23.44, 21.17 and 18.56 ppm, respectively. The results could be useful in search for newer, safer, and more effective natural larvicidal agents against Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, Ae. albopictus and An. subpictus.

MeSH terms

  • Aedes / drug effects*
  • Aedes / growth & development
  • Animals
  • Anopheles / drug effects*
  • Anopheles / growth & development
  • Chickens
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Culex / drug effects*
  • Culex / growth & development
  • Flame Ionization
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Insect Vectors / drug effects*
  • Insect Vectors / growth & development
  • Insecticides / chemistry
  • Insecticides / isolation & purification
  • Insecticides / pharmacology
  • Larva / drug effects
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Ocimum basilicum / chemistry*
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / isolation & purification
  • Oils, Volatile / pharmacology*
  • Plant Oils / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / isolation & purification
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology

Substances

  • Insecticides
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Oils