Larvicidal Activities against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and <i>Culex quinquefasciatus</i> of Some Extracts from Amazon Edible Fruits

Abstract

The Amazon Forest encompasses a vast diversity of edible fruits, which are very appreciated by the local population. There are few studies describing the chemical composition or the biological activities for most of the Amazonian edible fruits. On the other hand, the Brazilian Amazon region is also endemic area for most of the tropical diseases in the country. One of the most effective control is the vector control at larval stage, especially with botanicals. The larvicidal activities against Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus have been determined for the extracts and fractions of five Amazonian edible fruits: pataua ( Oenocarpus bataua ), bacaba ( Oenocarpus bacaba ), uxi ( Endopleura uchi ), tucuma ( Astrocaryum aculeatum ) and piassava ( Leopoldinia piassaba ). Lethality assay of extracts and fractions against third-instar Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae revealed that at higher concentrations (500 μg.mL -1 ), all the extracts caused 100% mortality after 48 h of exposure to larvae Culex quinquefasciatus . The tested extracts and fractions exhibited larvicidal effects against Culex quinquefasciatus with LC 50 values between 29.7 and 157.2 μg.mL -1 . The results obtained should be of value in search for new natural larvicidal compounds.