A comparative Study of the Larvicidal Activity of Lemongrass (Cymbopogan citratus) from Different Methods of Extraction

Abstract

Pure compounds or standardized extracts obtained as natural products from medicinal plants have for long been used as toxicants to mosquito larvae and they have provided limitless opportunities for novel medicine due to their unequaled ease of access of chemical diversity. Owing to a growing demand for chemical diversity in programmed screening selections and the quest for therapeutic drugs from natural products, concern principally in edible plants has increased all over the world. Despite achievement of various strides in the formulations and usage of various bioactive compounds from herbal preparations and botanicals for medicinal usage against mosquitoes, the resurgence of mosquitoes and the scourge of diseases transmitted by these vectors are still felt worldwide. Here, we report an amazing case where we conducted a comparative study on the efficacy of the various extraction methods on lemongrass in the mortality of the larvae of Culex mosquitoes. To achieve our set objectives, we used three common methods of extraction of plants extract i.e. Decoction, Infusion and Maceration on lemongrass and then compared their potency on the mortality rate of Culex larvae. To our chagrin, although all the methods of extraction were efficient but the highest larval mortality rate was observed in ethanol extract of dried lemongrass, followed by boiled extract and wet extract with the Chi-square value significant at P<0.05. In conclusion, although we were unable to ascertain the specific compound in lemongrass that is responsible for the mortality of the larvae, we recommend that lemongrass is a safe and natural insect repellant that is just as effective as the commercial chemical product and should be planted around homes, as they could have potentials of repelling mosquitoes and reducing mosquito borne diseases.