Larvicidal, insecticidal, brine shrimp cytotoxicity and anti-oxidant activities of Diospyros kaki (L.) reported from Pakistan.

Diospyros kaki is cultivated in different agro-ecological zones of Pakistan, especially in Malakand division. The current study was designed to investigate the hide potential of the vulnerable species of the plant. Aqueous extracts of Diospyros kaki leaves were screened for larvicidal, insecticidal cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. The extract exhibited moderate to outstanding larvicidal activity (100 to 28%) at 100, 80, 70, 50, 40, 30, 20 and 10% concentrations respectively after 24 hours, showing 42% LC₅₀. Permitrin displayed 100% lethality at 0.3%. The extract demonstrated outstanding cytotoxic action against brain shrimps nauplii (Artemia salina), showing 10 ppm LC50 which is closed to the LC50 (9.8μg/ml) of standard drug Etoposide. Similarly profound insecticidal potential (100%) was recorded after 15 min against Cimex lectularius. In DPPH scavenging activity the extract demonstrated moderate 30.22%, while Quercetin, Gallic acid and Acetic acid showed 98, 96 and 97% activity respectively at 100 ppm. Thus on the basis of our finding it could be concluded that the decoction of the leaves of D. kaki is a good natural alternative for the control of insects and neoplasia.