Phytochemical Profile and Mosquito Larvicidal Activity of the Essential Oil from Aerial Parts of Satureja bachtiaricaBunge Against Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis Vectors

AbstractMosquitoes play an important role in transmission of large number of diseases including malaria, filariasis and arboviral diseases. Increasing application of synthetic insecticides may be resulted in resistant to insecticides. Furthermore, it may have adverse effects on the environment and human health. Currently, one of the most effective alternative approaches under the biological control programs is using of natural larvicidal agents derived from plants. The larvicidal properties of essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of an indigenous plant, Satureja bachtiaricawas evaluated against two mosquito vector, Anopheles stephensiand Culex quinquefasciatus. In addition, the analysis of essential oil was investigated by Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Forty-one compounds, representing 98.42% of the essential oils have been identified. The main constituents were carvacrol (22.66%), p-cymene (15.89%), borneol (14.05 %), 1,8-cineole (10.45%) and thymol (7.27%). Five different concentrations of essential oil were evaluated against the late 3rdand early 4thinstars larvae of An. stephensiand Cx. quinquefasciatus. The LC50and LC90values against An. stephensilarvae were 24.27 and 54.24 ppm and for Cx. quinquefasciatuswere 44.96 and 114.45 ppm after 24 hours of exposure, respectively. In conclusion, results of study clearly indicated that the essential oils of S. bachtiaricapossessed remarkable larvicidal properties and could serve as an alternative to synthetic insecticides for control of mosquito larvae.