The efficacy of some wild medicinal plant extracts on the survival and development of third instar larvae of Chrysomyia albiceps (Wied) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

Abstract

Four crude wild plants extract of Artemisia herba-alba Asso, Artemisia monosperma Del., Euphorbia aegyptiaca Boiss. and Francoeuria crispa (Forsk.) extracted with four successive solvents; hexane, diethyl ether, ethyl acetate and ethanol were evaluated against the third instar larvae of Chrysomyia albiceps using dipping and thin film techniques. In dipping technique, larvae were immersed in the concentrations of plant extracts for 30 seconds. However, in thin film technique, larvae were exposed to thin layer from each plant extract in the Petri-dishes. Results showed that all extracts had toxic effects on larvae in both two treatments. Hexane and diethyl ether extracts of A. herba-alba and ethyl acetate extract of A. monosperma recorded the highest effect in both two treatments. Ethanol extracts of E. aegyptiaca and A. monosperma were the highest in dipping and thin film treatments, respectively. In dipping treatment, most plant extracts revealed extending effect on pupae especially while in thin film treatment most larvae which succeeded to develop to pupae produced normal flies. Deformed pupae were only recorded with the high concentration of diethyl extracts of A. herba-alba. Hexane, diethyl ether and ethyl acetate extracts of F. crespa only produced low percentages of deformed flies. Histological examination conducted on larvae confirmed that extracts in thin film treatment penetrated to the gut and destroyed its epithelial cells and wall. It concluded that the crude extracts of the four tested plants can be used in controlling of C. albiceps larvae while hexane extracts of E. aegyptiaca, A. herba-alba and A. monosperma are considered the most promising plant preparations against the larvae by using thin film technique.