Assessment of the molluscicidal activity of wormwood (Artemisia dubia, Wallich) leaves ethanolic extract on Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi, Möllendorff

Abstract

This study assessed the in vitro molluscicidal activity of Artemisia dubia (wormwood) leaf ethanolic extract against adult and juvenile Oncomelania hupensis quadrasi and profiled its qualitative phytochemical content. The plants and snails were collected locally. There were 8 concentrations used for adult and juvenile snails: distilled water and 1% ethanol as negative controls; niclosamide (2 mg/L) as a positive control; and different concentrations of wormwood ethanolic extracts for adult snails including 3.98% (T1), 4.46% (T2), 5% (T3), 5.61% (T4), and 6.30% (T5) and for juvenile snails including 7.94% (T1), 8.91% (T2), 10% (T3), 11.22% (T4), and 12.59% (T5). Each treatment was replicated 5 times with 20 snails per replicate. Results showed that the concentrations that were statistically comparable with niclosamide (2 mg/L) were 6.30% (T5) with 92% mortality for adults and 10% (T3), 11.22% (T4), and 12.59% (T5) for juveniles with 94%, 95%, and 98% mortality, respectively (P > 0.05). The qualitative phytochemical tests for secondary metabolites revealed the presence of tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. Independently or in combination, these secondary metabolites may be responsible for the mortality of the snails. This study indicates the possibility of using wormwood ethanolic extract as a potent and a possible alternative for synthetic molluscicides.