RESEARCH ARTICLE
Evaluation of larvicidal, adulticidal, and anticholinesterase activities
of essential oils of Illicium verum Hook. f., Pimenta dioica (L.) Merr.,
and Myristica fragrans Houtt. against Zika virus vectors
Diego Gomes da Rocha Voris
1
&
Luciana dos Santos Dias
2,3
&
Josélia Alencar Lima
1
&
Keila dos Santos Cople Lima
1
&
José Bento Pereira Lima
2,3
&
Antônio Luís dos Santos Lima
1
Received: 1 March 2018 / Accepted: 22 May 2018
#
Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2018
Abstract
Aedes aegypti is the vector responsible for transmitting pathogens that cause various infectious diseases, such as dengue,
Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya, worrying health authorities in the tropics. Due to resistance of mosquitoes to synthetic
insecticides, the search for more effective insecticidal agents becomes crucial. The aim of this study was to verify the
larvicidal, adulticidal, and anticholinesterase activities of the essential oils of the Illicium verum (EOIV), Pimenta dioica
(EOPD), and Myristica fragrans (EOMF) against Ae. aegypti. The essential oils (EOs) were obtained by hydrodistillation
and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The larvicidal and adulticidal activities of EOs were
evaluated against third instar larvae and Ae. aegypti adult females, respectively, using the procedures of the World Health
Organization (WHO) and the anticholinesterase activity of the EOs by the modified Ellman method. The following major
components were identified: (E)-anethole (90.1%) for EOIV, methyl eugenol (55.0%) for EOPD, and sabinene (52.1%) for
EOMF. All EOs exhibited larvicidal and adulticidal activity against Ae. aegypti. The highest larval mortality was observed in
EOMF with LC
50
= 28.2 μgmL
−1
. Adult mortality was observed after 1 (knockdown) and 24 h exposure, with the highest
potential established by the EOIV, KC
50
=7.3 μgmgfemale
−1
and LC
50
= 10.3 μg mg female
−1
. EOIV (IC
50
=
4800 μgmL
−1
), EOMF (IC
50
= 4510 μgmL
−1
), and EOPD (IC
50
= 1320 μgmL
−1
) inhibited AChE. EOMF
(4130 μgmL
−1
)andEOPD(IC
50
= 3340 μgmL
−1
) inhibited BChE whereas EOIV showed no inhibition. The EOs were
toxictolarvaeandadultsofAe. aegypti, as well as being less toxic to humans than the currently used insecticides, opening
the possibility of elaboration of a natural, safe, and ecological bioinsecticide for vector control.
Keywords Aedes aegypti
.
Essential oils
.
Larvicide
.
Adulticide
.
Anticholinesterase
.
Bioinsecticide
Introduction
Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) is the main vector
responsible for transmitting pathogens that cause various
infectious diseases in the world. Illnesses such as dengue,
Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya have worried the
health authorities of the tropical regions, causing millions
of deaths each year and generating great economic losses
(Beltrán-Silva et al. 2016). The rapid proliferation of this
mosquito, whether due to the inefficiency of public sanita-
tion policies, or because mosquitoes have become resistant
to insecticides currently in use, has caused outbreaks of
these diseases in several tropical countries, such as
Colombia and Brazil.
The incidence of these diseases has rapidly increased
worldwide in recent decades, particularly the dengue, whose
Responsible editor: Giovanni Benelli
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article
(https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2362-y) contains supplementary
material, which is available to authorized users.
* Diego Gomes da Rocha Voris
divoris@hotmail.com
1
Section of Chemical Engineering, Chemical and Biological Defence
Laboratory, Military Institute of Engineering, Rio de
Janeiro, RJ 22291-270, Brazil
2
Laboratory of Physiology and Control of Vector Arthropods,
Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
3
Entomology Laboratory, Institute of Biology of the Army, Rio de
Janeiro, RJ 20911-270, Brazil
Environmental Science and Pollution Research
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2362-y
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