Zingiber cernuum (Zingiberaceae) essential oil as effective larvicide and oviposition deterrent on six mosquito vectors, with little non-target toxicity on four aquatic mosquito predators

Abstract

Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of many pathogens and parasites, which cause serious diseases in humans and animals. Currently, botanical products have been suggested as alternative tools in the fight against arthropod vectors. In this study, the essential oil (EO) extracted from Zingiber cernuum was tested as larvicide and oviposition deterrent on six mosquito species of public health relevance, including malaria and Zika virus vectors. The EO showed high toxicity on third instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi (LC50 = 41.34 μg/ml), Aedes aegypti (LC50 = 44.88 μg/ml), Culex quinquefasciatus (LC50 = 48.44 μg/ml), Anopheles subpictus (LC50 = 51.42 μg/ml), Aedes albopictus (LC50 = 55.84 μg/ml), and Culex tritaeniorhynchus (LC50 = 60.20 μg/ml). In addition, low doses of Z. cernuum EO reduced oviposition rates in six mosquito species. The acute toxicity of Z. cernuum EO on four mosquito predators was scarce; LC50 ranged from 3119 to 11,233 μg/ml. Overall, our results revealed that the Z. cernuum EO can be considered for the development of effective and environmental-friendly mosquito larvicides and oviposition deterrents.