Larvicidal effect of Cymbopogon citratus root and leaf on the first instar larval stage of Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes eagypti

Abstract

Larvicidal effect of lemongrass root and leaf was carried out with three different species of mosquito (Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes eagypti) at the first instar stage of development. Soxhlet apparatus was used to extract the pulverized plant parts using petroleum ether and aqueous extraction solvents and the different extracts were used for the analysis. The result showed that the mean death of Anopheles gambiae recorded highest (13.995); this is followed by Aedes eagypti (12.641) and Culex quinquefasciatus (11.426). Also lemongrass leaf showed higher lavicidal effect than the root. Furthermore, petroleum ether extraction solvent was found to be more effective than the aqueous extraction solvent.