Bioactivity of citrus seed for mosquito-borne diseases larval control.

This study aimed to determine the activity of citrus-seed extract against Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae. The results indicated that ethanol citrus-seed extract showed the best killing effect on Ae. aegypti larvae, followed by local liquor, and water, with LC50 of 2,267.71, 6,389.22, and 135,319.40 ppm, respectively, whereas against Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae, the LC50 were 2,639.27, 5,611.66, and 127,411.88 ppm, respectively. Temephos was tested against Ae. aegypti larvae; the LC50 was 0.00057 ppm, which was nearly 4,000,000 times less than ethanol citrus-seed extract. When ethanol citrus-seed extract and temephos were tested with Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), a standard environmental organism, using LC50 of Ae. aegypti larvae at 2,267 and 0.00057 ppm, respectively, fish mortality was 0%. The results suggested that ethanol citrus-seed extract had no harmful effect on the fish, and that temephos, which is recommended by WHO, was safe for use in drinking water. However, when the LC50 dose that killed Ae. aegypti larvae for local liquor (6,389 ppm) and water extract (135,319 ppm) were tested with fish, the mortality rates were 35% and 100%, respectively. On the whole, the results suggested that ethanol citrus-seed extract is environmentally friendly and can be used in the control of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus larvae.