Larvicidal activity of major essential oils from stems of Allium monanthum Maxim. against Aedes aegypti L

Abstract

The stems of Allium monanthum were extracted, and the major essential oil composition and larvicidal effects were studied. The analyses were conducted by gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy revealed that the essential oils of A. monanthum stems. The A. monanthum essential oil yield was 4.25%, and gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy analysis revealed that its major constituents were dimethyl trisulfide (23.21%), dimethyl tetrasulfide (11.24%) and methlyl propyl trisulfide (8.21%). The essential oil had a significant toxic effect against early fourth-stage larvae of Aedes aegypti L with an LC50 value of 23.14ppm and an LC90 value of 36.31ppm. Also, dimethyl trisulfide (≥95.0%), dimethyl tetrasulfide (≥95.0%) and methlyl propyl trisulfide (≥95.0%) were tested against the F21 laboratory strain of A. aegypti. Methlyl propyl trisulfide (≥95.0%) has good activity with an LC50 value of 19.38ppm. Also, the above indicates that other major compounds may play a more important role in the toxicity of essential oil. © 2011 Informa UK, Ltd.