Larvicidal and enzyme inhibition effects of Phoenix pusilla derived Methyl oleate and malathion on Aedes aegypti strains

Abstract This study explores the larvicidal potential of methanolic flower extracts from Phoenix pusilla (Pp-Fe), its major compound, and malathion (MLT), against laboratory strain (LS) and field strain (FS) of Aedes aegypti, the dengue mosquito vector. We identified thirty-one derivatives, with methyl oleate (MO) comprising 28.5% of Pp-Fe. Comparative efficacy evaluations were performed using peak dosages of Pp-Fe (500 ppm), MO (5 ppm), and MLT (5 ppm) on LS and FS larvae. Both LS and FS second instars showed higher susceptibility to Pp-Fe (95% and 93%, respectively) and MO (85% and 83%, respectively). MLT resulted in significant mortality rates among LS larvae (98%) and notable reductions among FS larvae (71%). The expression levels of key biomarker enzymes (carboxylesterase, GST, and CYP450) exhibited a consistent decrease and subsequent upregulation in LS and FS larvae following exposure to Pp-Fe and MO, contrasting with the significant expression variations observed in LS and FS larvae exposed to MLT. LS larvae demonstrated heightened susceptibility and evident midgut cell damage following all treatments, suggesting potential disparities in susceptibility and adaptive responses between LS and FS strains towards MLT. These observations underscore the promising larvicidal attributes of Pp-Fe and MO, emphasizing the need for further exploration of their mechanisms of action in the development of environmentally sustainable mosquito control strategies and resistance management.