Traditional herbal remedies and dietary spices from Cameroon as novel sources of larvicides against filariasis mosquitoes?

Parasitol Res. 2016 Dec;115(12):4617-4626. Epub 2016 Sep 28.

Pavela R¹, Maggi F², Mbuntcha H^3,4, Woguem V^3,4, Fogang HP^3,4, Womeni HM⁴, Tapondjou LA³, Barboni L⁵, Nicoletti M⁶, Canale A⁷, Benelli G⁸.

Author information

• ¹Crop Research Institute, Drnovska 507, 161 06, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
• ²School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
• ³Laboratory of Environmental and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
• ⁴Laboratory of Biochemistry of Medicinal Plants, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon.
• ⁵School of Science and Technology, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy.
• ⁶Department of Environmental Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
• ⁷Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
• ⁸Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy. benelli.giovanni@gmail.com.

Abstract

In Cameroon, many dietary spices are used by traditional healers to cure several diseases such as cancer and microbial infections. Aframomum daniellii, Dichrostachys cinerea and Echinops giganteus are Cameroonian spices widely used as flavourings and as food additives. Moreover, they are traditionally herbal remedies employed to treat several diseases, as well as to control populations of insect pests. In this research, we analysed the chemical composition of A. daniellii, D. cinerea and E. giganteus essential oils and we evaluated their larvicidal potential against larvae of the filariasis and West Nile virus vector Culex quinquefasciatus. The essential oils were obtained from different plant parts by hydrodistillation and their composition was analysed by GC-MS. The three spices exhibited different volatile chemical profiles, being characterized by 1,8-cineole, sabinene and β-pinene (A. daniellii), geraniol and terpinen-4-ol (D. cinerea), and silphiperfol-6-ene and presilphiperfolan-8-ol (E. giganteus). Results showed that the highest larvicidal toxicity on Cx. quinquefasciatus was exerted by D. cinerea essential oil (LC₅₀ = 39.1 μL L^-1), followed by A. daniellii (pericarp essential oil: LC₅₀ = 65.5 μL L^-1; leaves: LC₅₀ = 65.5μL L^-1; seeds: LC₅₀ = 106.5μL L^-1) and E. giganteus (LC₅₀ = 227.4 μL L^-1). Overall, the chance to use the D. cinerea essential oil against Cx. quinquefasciatus young instars seems promising, since it is effective at moderate doses and could be an advantageous alternative to build newer mosquito control tools.

KEYWORDS:

Aframomum daniellii; Culex quinquefasciatus; Dichrostachys cinerea; Echinops giganteus; Essential oil; Rift Valley fever; West Nile virus