Evaluating the Effect of African Basil, Garlic Vine, Lemongrass, and Moringa Extracts on Aedes aegypti Larval Stage: A Sustainable and Natural Method

Millions of people suffer from mosquito-borne infections yearly, including dengue fever, chikungunya, and the Zika virus. All these infections pose great threats to global health. The main vector population requires careful management to prevent its spread. This study delves into the larvicidal activity of hexanolic extracts prepared from different plants as a measure of controlling and reducing the larval population of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) in New Delhi, India. Some of the plants explored in this study include African basil, garlic vine, lemongrass, and moringa leaves. The WHO standard protocol was used for the evaluation of the larvicidal activity of various plant extracts. All the plants were potent and excellent against Aedes aegypti larvae, with the cidal activity ranging from 10.503 ppm to 6.376 ppm. The LC₅₀ of Cymbopogon citratus was 10.503 ppm after exposure for 24h and decreased to 1.924 ppm after 48h. Among the four plants tested in this experiment, Cymbopogon citratus was 3.92 fold more effective than Moringa oliefera, 5.73 fold more effective than Ocimum gratissimum, and 5.94 fold effective than Mansoa alliacea within the 24h exposure period. With emphasis on the development of natural measures to control mosquitoes, the present study intends to design novel and efficient methods to manage mosquitoes and also reduce disease transmission. The findings of this research might provide the reader with insight into the development of new insightsand applications of plant-based larvicides, creating eco-friendly means of controlling mosquito populations and conserving these populations from spreading hazardous diseases.