Journal of Entomological Research
Year : 1993, Volume : 17, Issue : 1
First page : ( 21) Last page : ( 26)
Print ISSN : 0378-9519.

Laboratory evaluation of insecticidal properties of Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus and O. sanctum Linnaeus plant's essential oils and their major constituents against vector mosquito species

Bhatnagar Mala¹, Kapur K.K.¹, Jalees Saba^1,2, Sharma S.K.^1,2

¹Lady Irwin College, New Delhi-110 001 (India).

²National Institute of Communicable Diseases, 22-Sham Nath Marg, Delhi-110 054 (India).

Accepted:  2  November,  1992.

Abstract

Insecticidal properties of essential oils and major constituents of aromatic plants, Ocimum basilicum Linnaeus and O. sanctum Linnaeus were evaluated against Anopheles stephensi Liston, Aedes aegypti Linnaeus and Culex quinquefasciatus (Say) mosquito species under laboratory conditions. The bioassay tests revealed that the essential oil of O. basilicum and its major constituent, methyl chavicol are more effective as compared to O. sanctum. Dosages of 0.003 ml/43.0 cm² of essential oil and 0.001 ml/43.0 cm² of methyl chavicol extracted from O. basilicum induced 100 per cent mortality in all the three mosquito species in a period ranging from 10 to 25 minutes. However, in the case of O. sanctum, a dosage of 0.01 ml/43.0 cm² 0f essential oil gave 100 per cent mortality in a period varying from 20 to 60 minutes, whereas its major constituent eugenol induced 100.0 per cent mortality at a much lower dosage of 0.003 ml/43.0 cm² in 30–35 minutes. The essential oils and their major constituents were more toxic to An. stephensi, followed by Ae. aegypti and C. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes. Since both the plant species grow in wild form in different parts of the country and can easily be cultivated on large scale for the extraction of essential oils and their major constituents, the findings have added significance in as much as they provide promise to use natural insecticides for the control of vector mosquito species.

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