Professional Documents
Culture Documents
S167
doi: 10.1016/S1995-7645(14)60225-X
Document heading
Larvicidal
Rosalinda C. Torres
Industrial Technology Development Institute, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Ave., Bicutan, Taguig City 1631, Philippines
National Research Council of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology, General Santos Ave., Bicutan, Taguig City 1631, Philippines
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received 23 Jun 2014
Received in revised form 6 Jul 2014
Accepted 19 Jul 2014
Available online 20 Aug 2014
Objective: To evaluate the toxicity of the ethanol and hexane extracts of the different parts of
Persea americana Mill. (P. americana) toward third and fourth instars larvae of Aedes aegypti (Ae.
aegypti) and to characterize the ethanol extract by qualitative phytochemical analysis.
Methods: The seeds, peels and pulp of P. americana were processed for crude extraction using 95%
ethanol and n-hexane. Crude extracts were bio-assayed for larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti
following the World Health Organization standard bioassay method. The mortality was observed
at 24 h and 48 h after treatment and data were subjected to probit analysis to determine lethal
concentrations (LC50 and LC90). The ethanol extract was characterized by phytochemical analysis.
Results: Both the hexane and ethanol extracts from the different parts of P. americana exhibited
evidence of larvicidal toxicity. The hexane extract from the seeds exhibited the highest toxicity
with LC50 and LC90 values of 9.82 mg/L and 22.19 mg/L, respectively, while the ethanol seed extract
exhibited LC50 of 16.48 mg/L and LC90 45.77 mg/L, respectively. This was closely followed by the
ethanol extract of the peels with an LC50 of 10.35 mg/L and LC90 of 26.29 mg/L. The pulp extracted
with ethanol also yielded great larvicidal toxicity with LC50 of 21.32 mg/L and LC90 of 59.45 mg/L.
Results of the phytochemical analysis of the ethanol seed extract indicated presence of alkaloids,
tannins, saponins, unsaturated steroids and triterpenoids, flavonoids (leucoanthocyanins), fats and
oils.
Conclusions: Both the hexane and ethanol extracts of P. americana showed promising potential
as an alternative source of a more sustainable, non-toxic and environmentally friendly solution
for the control of dengue vector, Ae. aegypti.
Keywords:
Persea americana
Dengue vector
Aedes aegypti
Larvicidal bioassay
Phytochemical analysis
1. Introduction
M osquito-borne diseases contribute significantly to
disease burden, death, poverty, and social debility all
over the world, particularly in tropical countries[1]. Among
these diseases, dengue remains the most serious vectorborne disease in the Philippines. Dengue is a severe, often
fatal, most rapidly emerging febrile disease transmitted
by female Aedes aegypti (Ae. aegypti) mosquitoes. It is an
acute infection that kills much faster than AIDS. In the
Philippines, dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever
are widespread in all its regions according to World Health
Organization. Treatment is mainly supportive as there is no
specific therapy available to date. These are the reasons
*Corresponding author: Rosalinda C. Torres, Ph.D., Chemicals and Energy Division,
Industrial Technology Development Institute, Department of Science and Technology,
General Santos Ave., Bicutan, Taguig City, Metro Manila 1631, Philippines.
Tel: (632) 837-20-71 loc. 2226
E-mail: lindactorres@yahoo.com
Foundation Project: Supported by the National Research Council of the Philippines of
the Department of Science and Technology, Taguig City, Metro Manila 1631, Philippines.
Rosalinda C. Torres et al./Asian Pac J Trop Med 2014; 7(Suppl 1): S167-S170
3. Results
Figures 1 to 4 show the lethal concentration expressed in
LC50 and LC90 values of crude ethanol and hexane extracts
S168
201
151
101
51
Batangas
LC50
Palawan
Iloilo
S169
Rosalinda C. Torres et al./Asian Pac J Trop Med 2014; 7(Suppl 1): S167-S170
36
31
26
21
16
11
6
1
101
81
61
41
21
1
Davao
LC50
LC90
Sources
Palawan
LC50
LC90
Palawan
Sources
Cavite
LC50
Mindoro
LC90
Davao
Sources
Batangas
Davao
41.84
Lethal concentration (mg/L)
101
81
61
41
21
1
LC50
4. Discussion
P eople have used various plant parts, products and
secondary metabolites of plant origin in pest control
since early historical times[5]. That is why several studies
have been dedicated on testing natural products against
mosquitoes specifically, Ae. aegypti, which produced
varying results [11-13] . S everal P hilippine plants have
been found to have various medicinal properties such as
larvicidal properties[14].
In the present study, hexane and ethanol extracts of the
seeds, peels and pulp of P. americana were subjected
Table 1
Result of the qualitative phytochemical analysis of the ethanol extract of P. americana seeds.
Qualitative tests
Mayers test
Dragendorffs test
Dragendorffs and Mayers test
Froth test
Na2CO3 test
Keller Killani test
Bate-Smith &Metcalf test
Willstatter Cyanidin test
FeCl3 test
Liebermann-Burchard test
Borntragers test
Spot test
Sources
Results
Formation of slightly turbid solution (+)
Formation of slightly turbid solution (+)
Formation of slightly turbid solution (+)
Formation of honeycomb froth greater than 2 cm (+)
Non-formation of dense and stable froth (-)
Formation of reddish-brown colored interface (+)
Formation of strong red colored solution (+)
Formation of red color (+)
Formation of blue-black colored solution (+)
Formation of red colored solution (+)
Non-formation of red colored solution (-)
Formation of greasy/oily appearance (+)
Indication
Presence of alkaloids
Presence of alkaloids
Absence of quaternary bases and/or amineoxides
Presence of saponins
Absence of free fatty acids
Presence of 2-deoxysugars
Presence of leucoanthocyanins
Presence of -benzopyrone nucleus (flavonoids)
Presence of hydrolyzable tannins
Presence of unsaturated steroid/triterpenoids
Absence of anthraquinones
Presence of fats and oils
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Rosalinda C. Torres et al./Asian Pac J Trop Med 2014; 7(Suppl 1): S167-S170