Larvicidal Activity of Leucas Aspera Against the Larvae of Anopheles, Aedes Aegypti and Culex Quinquefasciatus

Abstract

Abstract: Insect-transmitted diseases cause high morbidity however they additionally embody deadly diseases that cause high mortality rates among infected individuals.Many two-winged insects species such as Aedes aegypti, Anopheles stephensi and Culex quinquefasciatus act as vectors. Ae. aegypti, acts as a vector for yellow fever, dengue and chikungunya. Aedes aegypti is cosmopolitan within the tropical and semitropical zones. Anopheles stephensi is the primary vector of malaria in India and other west Asian countries. C. quinquefasciatus is a vector of lymphatic filariasis which is one of the widely distributed tropical diseases with around 120 million people infected worldwide. The mosquitocidal activity was analyzed by aqueous, ethanol and methanol extract of Leucas aspera plant extract against the malaria, yellow fever and dengue causing Ae.aegypti, An.stephensi. Leucas aspera is well known to possess various pharmacological activities like antifungal, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Leaves of this plant are applied to treat snake bites. The result was supported by probit analyses was carried out for twenty fourth and forty eighth hour methyl alcohol extracts of L. aspera. The data showed profound larvicidal activity with methyl alcohol extract compared with the other extracts. Keywords: Vector control, L. aspera, Ae.a.egypti, An. stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus.