Abstract

MOSQUITO REPELLENT ACTIVITY AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANT, PLECTRANTHUS AMBIONICUS (LOUR) AGAINST CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS

Afrin jumana A., Annapoorani C.A.* and Dilna M. T.

Abstract

Mosquitoes are vectors for more diseases prevalent due to stagnant water in rural and urban areas. Mosquito bites can cause simple skin irritation to harmful vector borne diseases. Therefore, staying away from bites is important and challenging. The leaf extract of Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour) have high repellent efficacy against the vector C. quinquefasciatus. The natural bioactive compounds present in the plant make it an efficient alternative to the conventional insecticides used for repelling mosquito species without any skin allergies. The ethanolic leaf extract of P. amboinicus (Lour) provides maximum repellency against adult C. quinquefasciatus. It shows 100% protection up to 90 minutes at all concentrations. This is followed by 5.0 concentration of petroleum ether extract which provides 99.83% of protection at 30 minutes, 99% of protection at 60 minutes and 98% of protection at 90 minutes of exposure. Phytochemical analysis of P. amboinicus (Lour) leaf showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, diterpenes, carbohydrates, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, saponins, phytosterols, phenols, proteins and amino acids.

Keywords: Culex quinquefasciatus, repellent efficacy, Plectranthus amboinicus.