Larvicidal activities of selected Nigerian plants

The methanol extracts of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Kurz leaves, Dysoxylum lenticellare Gillespie leaves, Newboldia laevis Seem stem bark, Markhamia tomentosa K.Schum. ex Engl. stem bark, ethylacetate extract of Jatropha multifida L. leaves and Jatropha gossipifolia L. stem bark were investigated for larvicidal activity against the larvae of Aedes aegyptii, the vector of dengue and yellow fevers. After 48hours, D. lenticellare extract with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 1.54±0.31mg/ml and 3.32±0.15mg/ml respectively and J. gossipifolia extract with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 1.96±0.26mg/ml and 3.50±0.25mg/ml respectively were the most active. Work is in progress to purify these most active extracts and isolate their active constituents.

Keywords: plant extracts, Aedes aegyptii, larvicidal activity