Uncovering Potential of Neem and Pyrethrum Extract as Biolarvacide of Aedes aegypti for Dengue Control

Abstract

Currently, several problems raised from the frequent application of chemical insecticide for dengue control such as insecticide resistance and environmental health issues. This fact supporting the need for the alternative active ingredients which are natural and could not develop insecticide resistance. This study aims to find out the potential of Pyrethrum (Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium (Trevir.) Vi) and Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) as biolarvacide against Aedes aegypti. This study used a quasi-experimental study using several combinations of Pyrethrum and Neem extracts. The larvae test used 25 larvae for every combination. Three repetitions applied for each treatment. Larval deaths were observed every hour until 24 hours, and several dead larvae were calculated. Results of this study showed that almost all formulations caused death of larvae in the first hour except formulation 5 (2 ml Pyrethrum + 1 ml DMSO + 24 ml liquid paraffin + 24 ml chitin), formulation 8 (49 ml neem + 1 ml Tween 20) and formulation 11 (49 ml neem + 1 ml DMSO). These results emphasised the potential of a formulation containing Pyrethrum and neem as biolarvacide against Aedes aegypti…. (Introduction, methods, results, discussion, conclusion)