Chemical identification of Tagetes minuta Linnaeus (Asteraceae) essential oil and its acaricidal effect on ticks

Marcos Valério Garcia,Renato Andreotti,Rosângela Da Silva Lopes,Jacqueline Cavalcante Barros,Dênis Pires De Lima,Jaqueline Matias

doi:10.1590/s1984-29612012000400011

Abstract

The control of tick species that affect animal production is vital for the economic welfare of the cattle industry. This study focused on testing the acaricidal activity of the essential oil from the leaves and stems of Tagetes minuta against several Brazilian tick species, including Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense and Argas miniatus. The chemical composition of the essential oil was determined by chromatography and spectroscopy analyses, which revealed the presence of monoterpenes. The adult immersion test (AIT) and the larval packet test (LPT) were used to evaluate the efficacy of T. minuta essential oil in tick management at concentrations of 2.5, 5, 10, 20 and 40%. The results demonstrated that the T. minuta essential oil had over 95% efficacy against four species of ticks at a concentration of 20%. These results suggest that the essential oil of T. minuta could be used as an environmentally friendly acaricide.

Highlights

Ticks are ectoparasites that affect an extensive range of vertebrate hosts and transmit a wide variety of pathogens
This study focused on testing the acaricidal activity of the essential oil from the leaves and stems of Tagetes minuta against several Brazilian tick species, including Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Amblyomma cajennense and Argas miniatus
The results demonstrated that the T. minuta essential oil had over 95% efficacy against four species of ticks at a concentration of 20%

Summary

Introduction

Ticks are ectoparasites that affect an extensive range of vertebrate hosts and transmit a wide variety of pathogens. They are the most common external parasites of economic importance in livestock production worldwide. There are approximately 61 species of ticks in Brazil (BARROSBATTESTI et al, 2006). The four species examined in this study represent the ticks that are important in cattle and poultry production and environmental and public health. There is a considerable economic incentive to control the ticks that affect animal production systems. In Brazil, the annual economic loss in the cattle industry attributed to Rhipicephalus (B.) microplus has been estimated at US $2 billion (GRISI et al, 2002). Over 170 million bovines are managed by the Brazilian cattle industry (ANUALPEC, 2009), and the Brazilian parasiticide www.cbpv.com.br/rbpv

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion