Larvicidal Activity of Melissa officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis Extracts and Their Lethal Impact on Detoxifying Enzymes in Aedes aegypti L. Larvae

Mohd Abass  Sofi; S.  Sunitha; Mohmmad Ashaq  Sofi; Anish  Mariadhas; Jayakumar  Manickkam; Ezhumalai  Parthiban; Ramachandran  Maduraiveeran; Abdolmajid  Ghasemian

doi:10.18502/jabs.v14i3.16356

Mohd Abass Sofi Department of Chemistry, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai- 600119, India
S. Sunitha Department of Chemistry, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai- 600119, India
Mohmmad Ashaq Sofi Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai- 600119, India
Anish Mariadhas Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Chennai- 600119, India
Jayakumar Manickkam Unit of Applied Entomology, Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai -600025, India
Ezhumalai Parthiban Department of Zoology, Unit of Aquatic Biodiversity, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, 600025, Chennai, India
Ramachandran Maduraiveeran Unit of Applied Entomology, Department of Zoology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai -600025, India
Abdolmajid Ghasemian Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jabs.v14i3.16356

Keywords: Aedes aegypti, Medicinal plants, Bioinsecticide, Acetylcholinesterase, carboxylesterase, Marker enzymes

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Mosquito-borne diseases significantly impact global health, particularly in tropical regions. While synthetic insecticides are currently employed to control mosquito vectors, their detrimental effects on ecosystems and persistence necessitate alternative control methods. Botanicals, owing to their diverse phytocompounds, offer potential for controlling and preventing vector-borne diseases by targeting insect eggs and larvae. This study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of Melissa officinalis and Rosmarinus officinalis extracts (methanolic and aqueous) against Aedes aegypti larvae, a vector of arboviruses.

Materials & Methods: Total protein content in control and plant extract-exposed larval homogenates was estimated using bovine serum albumin as a standard. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and carboxylesterase assays were performed to determine larvicidal effects. Larval mortality was assessed after 24 hours of exposure.

Results: Our findings revealed that the methanolic leaf extract of M. officinalis exhibited superior larvicidal activity (100% at 1000 ppm) compared to the methanolic R. officinalis extract (84±2.45% at 1000 ppm). In contrast, the aqueous extracts of both plant species inferred no larvicidal activity. The LC50 and LC90 values for M. officinalis methanolic extract were 378.7 ppm and 795.8 ppm, respectively, whereas those for R. officinalis were 648.9 ppm and 1152.9 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, biochemical assays measuring total protein, acetylcholinesterase, α-carboxylesterase, and β-carboxylesterase activities were conducted for M. officinalis, corroborating and substantiating its larvicidal properties.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the methanolic leaf extract of M. officinalis possesses significant larvicidal efficacy against A. aegypti. These findings suggest that this plant or its phytocompounds could serve as a bioinsecticide, offering a potential alternative to environmentally toxic and non-biodegradable synthetic insecticides.