Larvicide Activity on Aedes aegypti of Essential Oil Nanoemulsion from the Protium heptaphyllum Resin.

Cleidjane Gomes Faustino,Allan Kardec Ribeiro Galardo,Josean Fechine Tavares,Sheylla Susan Moreira Da Silva De Almeida Almeida,Rosany Lopes Martins,Alex Bruno Lobato Rodrigues,Marcos Antônio Alves De Medeiros,Fernando Antônio De Medeiros,Jader Dos Santos Cruz,Yuri De Medeiros Souza Lima

doi:10.3390/molecules25225333

Abstract

The aim of this work was to prepare a nanoemulsion containing the essential oil of Protium heptaphyllum resin and to evaluate the larvicidal activity and the residual larvicidal effect against Aedes aegypti. The essential oil was identified by gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrometer, and the nanoemulsions were prepared using a low-energy method and characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy. The results indicated the major constituents as p-cimene (27.70%) and α-Pinene (22.31%). Nanoemulsions had kinetic stability and a monomodal distribution in a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance of 14 with particle diameters of 115.56 ± 1.68 nn and zeta potential of −29.63 ± 3.46 mV. The nanoemulsion showed larvicidal action with LC50 = 2.91 µg∙mL−1 and residual larvicidal effect for 72 h after application to A. aegypti larvae. Consequently, the nanobiotechnological product derived from the essential oil of P. heptaphyllum resin could be used against infectious disease vectors.

Highlights

Tropical diseases transmitted by vectors are considered a serious public health problem in developing countries
The objective of this study is three-fold: (1) To identify the phytochemical constituents of the essential oil obtained from the P. heptaphyllum resin; (2) to develop nanoemulsions containing the essential oil and to characterize the most stable formulation; and (3) to evaluate its larvicidal activity and its residual effect against A. aegypti larvae
P. heptaphyllum resin was homogenized in powder using porcelain mortar and hydro distilled for a period of 3 h in a Clevenger (São Paulo, SP, Brazil) apparatus to extract the essential oil through the steam distillation technique

Summary

Introduction

Tropical diseases transmitted by vectors are considered a serious public health problem in developing countries. The use of chemical products to combat vectors in the larval phase has been one of the main tools for the control of these diseases. In this sense, the use of plants with insecticidal action is an old practice, it has been extensively explored even in recent years [1,2]. Among natural products for insecticidal purposes, essential oils deserve to be highlighted, either for their low toxicity to the environment, as well as to their high lipophilicity [3], which makes them an excellent alternative for this purpose. Studies have shown that several essential oils have an excellent larvicidal and repellent effects towards different species of insects [4]

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