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Life Science Archives (LSA)

ISSN: 2454-1354
Volume 1; Issue - 2; Year 2015; Page: 72 - 77

Research Article
MOSQUITO LARVICIDAL PROPERTIES OF Sesamum indicum L. AGAINST
Aedes aegypti (Linn.), Anopheles stephensi (Liston), Culex quinquefasciatus
(Say) (Diptera: Culicidae)
Mathalaimuthu Baranitharana, Shanmugam Dhanasekaran*a, Jayapal Gokulakrishnanb,
Kaliyamoorthy Krishnappac and Jayaraman Deepab
a

Department of Zoology, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar-608 002, Tamilnadu, India.

Department of Zoology, Poompuhar College (Autonomous), Melaiyur-609 107, Tamilnadu, India.

Abstract
Mosquitocidal activity of S. indicum was tested against three mosquitoes. Twenty five early fourth
instar larvae of Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus were exposed to various
concentrations (100-500 ppm) and the 24 hrs LC50 values of the S. indicum extracts were determined by
probit analysis determined against Ae. aegypti, An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The LC50 and LC90
values of S. indicum methanol extract against Ae. aegypti were 349.88, 379.21 and 439.80 mg/L,
respectively; An. stephensi were 338.27, 364.65 and 405.25 mg/L, respectively. For Cx. quinquefasciatus
were 254.85, 278.77 and 304.84 mg/L, respectively. The outcome clearly shows that larvicidal activity was
dose reliant. From the results it can be concluded the methanol extract of S. indicum was an outstanding
potential for controlling the vector mosquito Cx. quinquefasciatus.
Article History
Received : 03.02.2015
Revised : 18.02.2015
Accepted : 23.02.2015

Key words: Sesamum indicum, Aedes aegypti,

Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus
and Larvicidal activity.

1. Introduction

Mosquitoes are one of the mostly

significant insect pests that affect the health and
welfare of humans and domestic animals
worldwide. The most important disease
transmitting and nuisance causing mosquitoes
belong to the genera Aedes, Anopheles and Culex.
In India, the various species of Aedes, Anopheles
and Culex are important as carriers of diseases,
malaria, dengue, chikungunya, filariasis, Japanese
encephalitis and leishmaniasis causing millions of
deaths every year in India (William, 2000;
* Corresponding author: Shanmugam Dhanasekaran
Tel.: +91-9943549927
E-mail: bharaniphdresearch@gmail.com

Ramesh et al., 2010). The dengue fever incidence

has increased fourfold since 1970 and nearly half
the worlds population is now at risk. In 1990,
almost 30% of the world population, 1.5 billion
people, lived in regions where the estimated risk
of dengue transmission was greater than 50%
(Hales et al., 2002). An. stephensi is major malaria
vectors in India. With an annual incidence of 300500 million, malaria is still one of the most
important communicable diseases. Currently,
about 40% of the worlds population live in areas
where malaria is endemic (Werndorfer, 2003). Cx.
quinquefasciatus, a vector of lymphatic filariasis,
is widely distributed in tropical zones with around
120 million people infected worldwide and 44

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Mathalaimuthu Baranitharan / Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 72 to 77, 2015

million people having common

manifestation (Berhard et al., 2003).

chronic

The mosquitos population is control of

some medicinal plants, has been researched for
larvicidal activities have been reported that
(Elangovan et al., 2012; Elumalai et al., 2012;
Krishnappa et al., 2012; Dhanasekaran et al.,
2013; Gokulkrishnan et al., 2012; Baranitharan
and Dhanasekaran, 2014). Sesame (Sesamum
indicum L.) is one of the oldest crops in the world,
and is under cultivation in Asia for over 5000
years (Bisht et al., 1998). The crop has earlier
origins in East Africa and in India (Nayar and
Mehra, 1970; Bedigian, 2003). Today, India and
China are the world's largest producers of sesame,
followed by Myanmar, Sudan, Uganda, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Guatemala and
Turkey. S. indicum is a very long time flavour; it
is first logged plants used for seeds. It has been
hand-me-down for thousands of years and it is
unmoving an oil seed of worldwide importance.
Sesame oil is high in protein and a food used for
cooking and spreading on bread, which is similar
to butter, but softer and usually made from
vegetable fat production and as cooking oils. Noone connected with cooking or kitchen uses
includes its application in soap, cosmetics,
lubricants and medicines. In India, south site used
to smear with oil the body and hair. It is a meal the
first-rate feed for poultry and livestock. Sesamolin
has insect repellent material and is used as a
synergist for pyrethrum pesticides (Morris, 2005).
Sesame oil is a pharmaceutical aid used as a
solvent for intramuscular injections and has
nutritive, demulcent, and emollient properties
(Tyler et al., 1976) and has been used as a
laxative.
2. Methodology
2.1. Plant collection
The leaves of S. indicum are collected from
South Poigainallur, Nagapattinam district, Tamil
Nadu, South India. Bulk samples were air-dried in
the shade and after drying each sample was
ground to a fine powder. At the time of collection,
two pressed voucher herbarium specimens were
prepared per species and identified with the help
of plant taxonomist, Department of Botany,

73

Annamalai University, whenever possible,

flowering or fruiting specimens were collected to
facilitate taxonomic identification.
2.2. Preparation of the extract
The dried leaf (100 g) was powdered
mechanically using commercial electrical stainless
steel blender and extracted sequentially with ethyl
acetate, hexane, dichloromethane and diethyl ether
(500 ml, Ranchem), in a Soxhlet apparatus
separately until exhaustion. The extract was
concentrated under reduced pressure 2226 mm
Hg at 45C by Rotavapour and the residue
obtained was stored at 4C.
2.3. Test mosquitoes
All tests were carried out against
laboratory reared vector mosquitoes viz., Aedes
aegypti (Ae. aegypti), Anopheles stephensi (An.
stephensi)
and
Culex
quinquefasciatus
(Cx. quinquefasciatus) free of exposure to
insecticides and pathogens, Cyclic generations of
vector mosquitoes were maintained at 25-30oC
and 80-90% relative humidity in the insectariums.
Larvae were fed on larval food (powdered dog
biscuit and yeast in the ratio of 3:1) and adult
mosquitoes were periodically blood-fed to
restrained albino mice for egg production.
2.4. Larvicidal activity
Standard WHO protocol with slight
modifications was adopted for the study (WHO,
1996). From the stock solution, the concentration
of 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm was prepared.
Early third instar larvae were introduced in 250 ml
plastic cups containing 200 ml of water with each
concentration. A control was prepared by the
addition of acetone to water. Mortality was
recorded after 24 hours. For each experiment, five
replicates were maintained at a time. However,
when the observed percentage mortality was
corrected by Abbotts Formula (Abbott, 1925).
2.5. Statistical analysis
Statistical analysis of the study records was
carried out with the help of SPSS (Finney, 1971)
to find the LC50, LC90, standard deviation (SD),
regression equations.

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Mathalaimuthu Baranitharan / Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 72 to 77, 2015

74

3. Results
Results of the larvicidal activity of the
methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane leaf extract of
S. indicum against Ae. aegypti, An. stephensi and
Cx. quinquefasciatus reported in the present study
showed the mosquitocidal properties in the plant
signifying their use in mosquito population control
(Fig: 1, 2 and 3). Larvicidal activity of methanol,
ethyl acetate and hexane leaf extract of S. indicum
are shown in Table 1. The present investigation
revealed that the LC50 and LC90 values of
methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extract of S.
indicum against Ae. aegypti were 349.88, 379.21
and 439.80 mg/L; 548.05, 580.89 and 661.96
mg/L, respectively. The LC50 and LC90 values of
methanol, ethyl acetate and hexane extract of S.
indicum against An. stephensi were 338.27, 364.65
and 405.25 mg/L; 538.50, 569.99 and 612.28
mg/L, respectively. The LC50 and LC90 values of
hexane extract of S. indicum against Cx.
quinquefasciatus were 254.85, 278.77 and 304.84
mg/L; 414.16, 458.73 and 496.21 mg/L,
respectively. It is concluded that the highest
larvicidal activity against Cx. quinquefasciatus
was obtained with ethyl acetate extract of S.
indicum.

Fig 2: Mortality of different solvent of

S. indicum against An. stephensi

Fig - 3: Mortality of different solvent of S.

indicum against Cx. quinquefasciatus
4. Discussion

Fig - 1: Mortality of different solvent of S.

indicum against Ae. aegypti

In our results showed that, the chemical

composition of S. indicum essential oil have
significant larvicidal and repellent activity against
human vector malarial mosquitoes, Ae. aegypti,
An. stephensi and Cx. quinquefasciatus. The
results are comparable with an earlier report by
Rahuman et al. (2008) have reported that the LC50
value of petroleum ether extracts of Jatropha
curcas, Pedilanthus tithymaloides, Phyllanthus
amarus, Euphorbia hirta, and Euphorbia tirucalli
were 8.79, 55.26, 90.92, 272.36, and 4.25 ppm,
respectively, against Ae. aegypti and 11.34, 76.61,
113.40, 424.94, and 5.52 ppm, respectively,
against Cx. quinquefasciatus, and the larvicidal
effect of ten plants corresponding to different
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Mathalaimuthu Baranitharan / Life Science Archives (LSA), Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 72 to 77, 2015

botanical families on An. stephensi and Cx.

quinquefasciatus. The leaf extract of Solanum
trilobatum reduced egg laying by gravid females
of An. stephensi from 18% to 99% compared with
ethanol-treated controls at 0.01%, 0.025%, 0.05%,
0.075%, and 0.1% (Rajkumar and Jebanesan,
2005). Ansari et al. (2000) suggested that the
peppermint oil (M. piperita) showed strong
repellent activity against adult mosquitoes when
applied on the human skin. The protection
obtained against An. annularis, An. culicifacies,
and Cx. quinquefasciatus was 100.0%, 92.3%, and
84.5%, respectively.
Baranitharan and Dhanasekaran (2014)
reported that the larvicidal activity of diethyl ether
followed by hexane, benzene and acetone extracts
of Coleus aromaticus showed 73.49, 85.93. 76.03
and 80.56 mg/L, respectivey. Baluselvakumar et al.
(2012) reported that the methanol plant extract of
M. maderaspatana had ovicidal and repellency
against Ae. aegypti with the methanol extract of M.
maderaspatana exerted 100% egg mortality at 120,
160, 200 and 240 ppm for Ae. aegypti, and a higher
concentration of 3.0 mg/cm2 methanol extract of M.
maderaspatana provided 100% protection up to 80,
100,120 and 140 min. Elumalai et al. (2012)
reported that the Eranthemum roseum acetone and
methanol extracts of LC50 values of 121.65 and
139.86 ppm, it was that 100% mortality was noted
from the acetone and methanol extracts of 100
ppm. Baranitharan and Dhanasekaran (2014)
investigated that the LC50 and LC90 values of ethyl
acetate followed by hexane, chloroform and
acetone of A. adenophora against Cx.
quinquefasciatus larvae I-instar in 24 hrs were
136.75, 145.69, 139.49 and 143.64 mg/L; 149.07,
158.24, 151.95 and 156.14 mg/L, respectively. The
leaf extract of Citrullus vulgaris with different
solvents were tested for repellent activities against
A. stephensi (Mullai et al., 2008) and showed that
Skin repellent test at 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 mg per cm 2
concentration gave the mean complete protection
time ranged from 119.17 to 387.83 minutes with
the four different extracts tested. Karunamoorthi et
al. (2008) have been reported that the leaves of
Echinops sp. (92.47%), O. integrifolia (90.10%),
and Oleaeuropaea (79.78%) were also effective
and efficient to drive away mosquitoes and the

75

roots of Silene macroserene (93.61%), leaves of

Echinops sp. (92.47%), O. integrifolia (90.10%),
and O. europaea(79.78%) were exhibited the
significant repellency by direct burning. Nathan et
al. (2005) considered pure limonoids of neem seed,
testing for biological, larvicidal, pupicidal,
adulticidal, and antiovipositional activity against
An. stephensi and the larval mortality was dosedependent with the highest dose of 1 ppm
azadirachtin, evoking almost 100% mortality,
affecting pupicidal and adulticidal activity and
significantly decreased fecundity and longevity of
An. stephensi. These results could encourage the
search for new active natural compounds offering
an alternative to synthetic repellents and
insecticides from other medicinal plants.
5. Conclusion
During the present study, the methanol,
ethyl acetate extract of leaves of S. indicum
showed significantly higher larvicidal activity
against Cx. quinquefasciatus. The higher
insecticidal potential of leaves extract presents the
S. indicum leaves as the rich source of toxic
metabolites.
Acknowledgements
Authors are thankful to the Professor &
Head, Department of Zoology and Botany,
Annamalai University, Chidambaram.
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