Larvicidal efficacy of Catharanthus roseus Linn. (Family: Apocynaceae) leaf extract and bacterial insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis against Anopheles stephensi Liston.

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the larvicidal activity of Catharanthus roseus (C. roseus) leaf extract and Bacillus thuringiensis (B. thuringiensis) against the malarial vector Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi), when being used alone or together.MethodsThe larvicidal activity was assayed at various concentrations under the laboratory and field conditions. The LC50 and LC90 values of the C. roseus leaf extract were determined by probit analysis.ResultsThe plant extract showed larvicidal effects after 24 h of exposure; however, the highest larval mortality was found in the petroleum ether extract of C. roseus against the first to fourth instars larvae with LC50=3.34, 4.48, 5.90 and 8.17 g/L, respectively; B. thuringiensis against the first to fourth instars larvae with LC50=1.72, 1.93, 2.17 and 2.42 g/L, respectively; and the combined treatment with LC50=2.18, 2.41, 2.76 and 3.22 g/L, respectively. No mortality was observed in the control.ConclusionsThe petroleum ether extract of C. roseus extract and B. thuringiensis have potential to be used as ideal eco–friendly agents for the control of An. stephensi in vector control programs. The combined treatment with this plant crude extract and bacterial toxin has better larvicidal efficacy against An. stephensi

Monitoring Diptera species of medical and veterinary importance in Saudi Arabia: Comparative efficacy of lure-baited and chromotropic traps

Abstract A number of Diptera species have medical and veterinary importance as they cause myiasis and act as vectors for protozoans, helminth eggs, as well as bacterial pathogens. In this research here, eleven Diptera species were monitored in five locations in Northwestern part of Saudi Arabia, using three types of traps (lure-baited traps, window fly trap and yellow sticky traps). As a general trend, the dominant flies were Musca domestica, Musca sorbens, Calliphora sp., blowfly Chrysomya sp. and Sarcophaga haemorrhidalis. No significant differences were observed among the total number of flies collected indoor and outdoor at each site using different traps. In the slaughter house, the three types of traps showed significant differences in the mean of collected flies (F = 4.135). Lure-baited traps showed significant differences in the abundance of the flies collected over the other two traps. In vegetable markets, fly abundance varied significantly among the three types of traps (F = 13.934). In the animal market, the mean number of flies collected varied significantly among the three types of traps (F = 4.792). Similar patterns of variation in the number of flies collected by different traps were shown in farms (F = 4.747). However, in the residential area, no significant difference was detected in the mean number of flies collected by three traps (F = 2.620). M. domestica was found to be the most abundant species in all locations with a remarkable high abundance in animal facilities, and the lure-baited traps were found to be the most effective for monitoring fly abundance. Overall, our research adds basic knowledge for future control programs against flies of medical and veterinary importance in Saudi Arabia

Neem by-products in the fight against mosquito-borne diseases: Biotoxicity of neem cake fractions towards the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies (Diptera: Culicidae)

Objective: To evaluate the ovicidal, larvicidal and adulticidal potential of neem cake fractions of different polarity against the rural malaria vector Anopheles culicifacies (An. culicifacies). Methods: Neem cake fractions' total methanol extract (NTMeOH), total ethyl acetate extract (NTAcOEt), ethyl acetate fraction after repartition with NTMeOH (NRAcOEt), butanol fraction after repartition with NTMeOH (NRBuOH), and aqueous fraction after repartition of NTMeOH (NRH2O) were tested against An. culicifacies eggs, fourth instar larvae and adults. Results: In larvicidal experiments, NTMeOH, NTAcOEt, NRAcOEt, NRBuOH and NRH2O achieved LC50 values of 1.32, 1.50, 1.81, 1.95 and 2.54 mg/L, respectively. All fractions tested at 150 mg/L were able to reduce egg hatchability of more than 50%, with the exception of NTAcOEt and NRAcOEt. In adulticidal assays, NTMeOH, NTAcOEt, NRAcOEt, NRBuOH and NRH2O achieved LC50 values of 3.01, 2.95, 3.23, 3.63 and 3.00 mg/L, respectively. Conclusions: Overall, this study suggests that the methanolic fractions of neem cake may be considered as a new and cheap source of highly effective compounds against the rural malaria vector An. culicifacies

Insecticide susceptibility in larval populations of the West Nile vector Culex pipiens L. (Diptera: Culicidae) in Saudi Arabia

Objective: To investigate the susceptibility to some conventional and non-conventional insecticides in laboratory and field larval populations of the West Nile vector Culex pipiens L. (Cx. pipiens), the dominant species in Jeddah Province, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The tested conventional insecticides were Actikil and Pesgard, while the non-conventional ones were Bacilod, Dudim and Baycidal. Probit analysis and photomicroscopical observations were carried out to shed light on acute toxicity in laboratory and field Cx. pipiens strains. Results: Cx. pipiens were more susceptible to Pesgard (LC50: 0.045 and 0.032 mg/L) than Actikil (0.052 and 0.038 mg/L) and Bacilod (0.129 and 0.104 mg/L), for the field and laboratory strains, respectively. Results showed that treatments with the chitin synthesis inhibitor Dudim and Baycidal evoked morphological effects similar to those induced by other insect growth regulators. According to IC50 values obtained (concentration which to inhibit the emergence of 50% of mosquito adults), the compound Dudim (0.0003 and 0.0001 mg/L) was more effective against Cx. pipiens L. mosquitoes than Baycidal (0.0004 and 0.0003 mg/L) for both the field and laboratory strains, respectively. Conclusions: Our results provide baseline data to enhance control programs and orient public health decisions on the selection of pesticides against mosquito vectors in Saudi Arabia

Suaeda maritima-based herbal coils and green nanoparticles as potential biopesticides against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti and the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura

The overuse of synthetic pesticides to control insect pests leads to physiological resistance and adverse environmental effects, in addition to high operational cost. Insecticides of botanical origin have been reported as useful for control of agricultural and public health insect pests. This research proposed a novel method of mangrove-mediated synthesis of insecticidal silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using Suaeda maritima, acting as a reducing and stabilizing agent. AgNP were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. S. maritima aqueous extract and mangrove-synthesized AgNP showed larvicidal and pupicidal toxicity against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti and the tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura. In particular, LC50 of AgNP ranged from 8.668 (larva I) to 17.975 ppm (pupa) for A. aegypti, and from 20.937 (larva I) to 46.896 ppm (pupa) for S. litura. In the field, the application of S. maritima extract and AgNP (10 × LC50) led to 100% mosquito larval reduction after 72 h. Smoke toxicity experiments conducted on A. aegypti adults showed that S. maritima leaf-, stem- and root-based coils evoked mortality rates comparable or higher if compared to permethrin-based positive control (62%, 52%, 42%, and 50.2 respectively). In ovicidal experiments, egg hatchability was reduced by 100% after treatment with 20 ppm of AgNP and 250 ppm of S. maritima extract. Furthermore, low doses of the AgNP inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Salmonella typhi. Overall, our results highlighted the potential of S. maritima-based herbal coils and green nanoparticles as biopesticides in the fight against the dengue vector A. aegypti and the tobacco cutworm S. litura

Green-synthesized CdS nano-pesticides: toxicity on young instars of malaria vectors and impact on enzymatic activities of the non-target mud crab Scylla serrata

Currently, nano-formulated mosquito larvicides have been widely proposed to control young instars of malaria vector populations. However, the fate of nanoparticles in the aquatic environment is scarcely known, with special reference to the impact of nanoparticles on enzymatic activity of non-target aquatic invertebrates. In this study, we synthesized CdS nanoparticles using a green protocol relying on the cheap extract of Valoniopsis pachynema algae. CdS nanoparticles showed high toxicity on young instars of the malaria vectors Anopheles stephensiand A. sundaicus. The antimalarial activity of the nano-synthesized product against chloroquine-resistant (CQ-r) Plasmodium falciparumparasites was investigated. From a non-target perspective, we focused on the impact of this novel nano-pesticide on antioxidant enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities of the mud crab Scylla serrata. The characterization of nanomaterials was carried out by UV–vis and FTIR spectroscopy, as well as SEM and XRD analyses. In mosquitocidal assays, LC50 of V. pachynema-synthesized CdS nanoparticles on A. stephensi ranged from 16.856 (larva I), to 30.301 μg/ml (pupa), while for An. sundaicus they ranged from 13.584 to 22.496 μg/ml. The antiplasmodial activity of V. pachynema extract and CdS nanoparticles was evaluated against CQ-r and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. IC50 of V. pachynema extract was 58.1 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 71.46 μg/ml (CQ-r), while nano-CdS IC50 was 76.14 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 89.21 μg/ml (CQ-r). In enzymatic assays, S. serrata crabs were exposed to sub-lethal concentrations, i.e. 4, 6 and 8 μg/ml of CdS nanoparticles, assessing changes in GST and AChE activity after 16 days. We observed significantly higher activity of GST, if compared to the control, during the whole experiment period. In addition, a single treatment with CdS nanoparticles led to a significant decrease in AChE activity over time. The toxicity of CdS nanoparticles and Cd ions in aqueous solution was also assessed in mud crabs, showing higher toxicity of aqueous Cd ions if compared to nano-CdS. Overall, our results underlined the efficacy of green-synthesized CdS nanoparticles in malaria vector control, outlining also significant impacts on the enzymatic activity of non-target aquatic organisms, with special reference to mud crabs

Earthworm-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles: a potent tool against hepatocellular carcinoma, Plasmodium falciparum parasites and malaria mosquitoes

The development of parasites and pathogens resistant to synthetic drugs highlighted the needing of novel, eco-friendly and effective control approaches. Recently, metal nanoparticles have been proposed as highly effective tools towards cancer cells and Plasmodium parasites. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles (EW–AgNP) using Eudrilus eugeniae earthworms as reducing and stabilizing agents. EW–AgNP showed plasmon resonance reduction in UV–vis spectrophotometry, the functional groups involved in the reduction were studied by FTIR spectroscopy, while particle size and shape was analyzed by FESEM. The effect of EW–AgNP on in vitro HepG2 cell proliferation was measured using MTT assays. Apoptosis assessed by flow cytometry showed diminished endurance of HepG2 cells and cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. EW–AgNP were toxic to Anopheles stephensi larvae and pupae, LC50 were 4.8 ppm (I), 5.8 ppm (II), 6.9 ppm (III), 8.5 ppm (IV), and 15.5 ppm (pupae). The antiplasmodial activity of EW–AgNP was evaluated against CQ-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. EW–AgNP IC50 were 49.3 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 55.5 μg/ml (CQ-r), while chloroquine IC50 were 81.5 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 86.5 μg/ml (CQ-r). EW–AgNP showed a valuable antibiotic potential against important pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Concerning non-target effects of EW–AgNP against mosquito natural enemies, the predation efficiency of the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis towards the II and II instar larvae of A. stephensi was 68.50% (II) and 47.00% (III), respectively. In EW–AgNP-contaminated environments, predation was boosted to 89.25% (II) and 70.75% (III), respectively. Overall, this research highlighted the EW–AgNP potential against hepatocellular carcinoma, Plasmodium parasites and mosquito vectors, with little detrimental effects on mosquito natural enemies

Fern-synthesized nanopeprintss in the fight against malaria: LC/MS analysis of Pteridium aquilinum leaf extract and biosynthesis of silver nanopeprintss with high mosquitocidal and antiplasmodial activity

Malaria remains a major public health problem due to the emergence and spread of Plasmodium falciparum strains resistant to chloroquine. There is an urgent need to investigate new and effective sources of antimalarial drugs. This research proposed a novel method of fern-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using a cheap plant extract of Pteridium aquilinum, acting as a reducing and capping agent. AgNP were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Phytochemical analysis of P. aquilinum leaf extract revealed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, proteins, carbohydrates, saponins, glycosides, steroids, and triterpenoids. LC/MS analysis identified at least 19 compounds, namely pterosin, hydroquinone, hydroxy-acetophenone, hydroxy-cinnamic acid, 5, 7-dihydroxy-4-methyl coumarin, trans-cinnamic acid, apiole, quercetin 3-glucoside, hydroxy-L-proline, hypaphorine, khellol glucoside, umbelliferose, violaxanthin, ergotamine tartrate, palmatine chloride, deacylgymnemic acid, methyl laurate, and palmitoyl acetate. In DPPH scavenging assays, the IC50 value of the P. aquilinum leaf extract was 10.04 μg/ml, while IC50 of BHT and rutin were 7.93 and 6.35 μg/ml. In mosquitocidal assays, LC50 of P. aquilinum leaf extract against Anopheles stephensi larvae and pupae were 220.44 ppm (larva I), 254.12 ppm (II), 302.32 ppm (III), 395.12 ppm (IV), and 502.20 ppm (pupa). LC50 of P. aquilinum-synthesized AgNP were 7.48 ppm (I), 10.68 ppm (II), 13.77 ppm (III), 18.45 ppm (IV), and 31.51 ppm (pupa). In the field, the application of P. aquilinum extract and AgNP (10 × LC50) led to 100 % larval reduction after 72 h. Both the P. aquilinum extract and AgNP reduced longevity and fecundity of An. stephensi adults. Smoke toxicity experiments conducted against An. stephensi adults showed that P. aquilinum leaf-, stem-, and root-based coils evoked mortality rates comparable to the permethrin-based positive control (57, 50, 41, and 49 %, respectively). Furthermore, the antiplasmodial activity of P. aquilinum leaf extract and green-synthesized AgNP was evaluated against CQ-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of P. falciparum. IC50 of P. aquilinum were 62.04 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 71.16 μg/ml (CQ-r); P. aquilinum-synthesized AgNP achieved IC50 of 78.12 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 88.34 μg/ml (CQ-r). Overall, our results highlighted that fern-synthesized AgNP could be candidated as a new tool against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum and different developmental instars of its primary vector An. stephensi. Further research on nanosynthesis routed by the LC/MS-identified constituents is ongoing

Seaweed-synthesized silver nanoparticles: an eco-friendly tool in the fight against Plasmodium falciparum and its vector Anopheles stephensi?

Malaria, the most widespread mosquito-borne disease, affects 350-500 million people each year. Eco-friendly control tools against malaria vectors are urgently needed. This research proposed a novel method of plant-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) using a cheap seaweed extract of Ulva lactuca, acting as a reducing and capping agent. AgNP were characterized by UV-vis spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The U. lactuca extract and the green-synthesized AgNP were tested against larvae and pupae of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi. In mosquitocidal assays, LC50 values of U. lactuca extract against A. stephensi larvae and pupae were 18.365 ppm (I instar), 23.948 ppm (II), 29.701 ppm (III), 37.517 ppm (IV), and 43.012 ppm (pupae). LC50 values of AgNP against A. stephensi were 2.111 ppm (I), 3.090 ppm (II), 4.629 ppm (III), 5.261 ppm (IV), and 6.860 ppm (pupae). Smoke toxicity experiments conducted against mosquito adults showed that U. lactuca coils evoked mortality rates comparable to the permethrin-based positive control (66, 51, and 41 %, respectively). Furthermore, the antiplasmodial activity of U. lactuca extract and U. lactuca-synthesized AgNP was evaluated against CQ-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Fifty percent inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of U. lactuca were 57.26 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 66.36 μg/ml (CQ-r); U. lactuca-synthesized AgNP IC50 values were 76.33 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 79.13 μg/ml (CQ-r). Overall, our results highlighted out that U. lactuca-synthesized AgNP may be employed to develop newer and safer agents for malaria control

One-pot fabrication of silver nanocrystals using Nicandra physalodes: A novel route for mosquito vector control with moderate toxicity on non-target water bugs

Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) as vectors for important diseases and parasites causing millions of deaths every year. The use of synthetic pesticides against Culicidae leads to resistance and environmental concerns. Therefore, eco-friendly control tools are a priority. In this research, Nicandra physalodes-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was conducted, in order to control larval populations of three important mosquito vectors, Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus. Biofabricated Ag NPs were characterized using UV-vis spectrophotometry, XRD, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and TEM analyses. Ag NPs were highly toxic against the three mosquito vectors. Maximum efficacy was detected against A. stephensi (LC50 = 12.39 μg/mL), followed by Ae. aegypti (LC50 = 13.61 μg/mL) and Cx. quinquefasciatus (LC50 = 14.79 μg/mL). Interestingly, Ag NPs were safer for the non-target aquatic organism Diplonychus indicus sharing the same aquatic habitats of mosquito larvae. LC50 and LC90 values were 1032.81 and 19,076.59 μg/mL, respectively. Overall, our results highlight that N. physalodes-fabricated Ag NPs are a promising for development of eco-friendly larvicides against mosquito vectors, with negligible toxicity against non-target aquatic water bugs