Publication Type
Journal Article
Journal Name
Phytomedicine
Publication Date
3-22-2005
Abstract
The essential oils from 15 species of African plants selected by ethnobotanical considerations and field inspection (odour and presence of insects) were screened for fumigant toxicity to Anopheles gambiae s.s. in the laboratory. Essential oils from 6 species showed varying levels of toxicity, with Conyza newii (Compositae) and Plectranthus marruboides (Labiateae) being the most potent. Fifty compounds representing ∼74% of the essential oil of C. newii were identified by GC-MS and GC-coinjection (for available standards). The major and some of the minor constituents of the two oils were assayed at different doses. Two compounds, from C. newii, perillaldehyde and perillyl alcohol, exhibited higher fumigant toxicity (LD50=1.05×10 -4 and 2.52×10-4 mg cm-3, respectively) than the parent oil (2.0×10-3 mg cm-3). GC-MS analysis of the essential oil of P. marruboides gave results similar to that previously reported. Interestingly, none of its components were active, suggesting that the insecticidal activity of the oil results from either some of the minor components or as a blend effect of some of the major constituents. © 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Keywords
Anopheles gambiae, Compositae, Conyza newii, Essential oil composition, Fumigant toxicity, Labiateae, Perillaldehyde, Perillyl alcohol, Plenctranthus marruboides
PubMed ID
15830848
Recommended Citation
Omolo, M., Okinyo, D., Ndiege, I., Lwande, W., & Hassanali, A. (2005). Fumigant toxicity of the essential oils of some African plants against Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto. Phytomedicine, 12 (3), 241-246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2003.10.004