Insecticidal activity of essential oils from Piper aduncum against Ctenocephalides felis felis: a promising approach for flea control

Abstract

Piper aduncum L., a Brazilian medicinal plant, is known for its bioactive properties, including repellent and insecticidal effects. This study investigated the insecticidal potential of essential oils (EOs) from P. aduncum, collected during the dry and rainy seasons, against fleas (Ctenocephalides felis felis Bouché, 1835) in egg and adult stages. The EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation using a modified Clevenger apparatus for 2 h. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed via gas chromatography. The findings revealed that dillapiole was the predominant substance in both EOs, accounting for 77.6% (rainy) and 85.5% (dry) of the EOs. These EOs exhibited high efficacy against the parasite C. felis felis, resulting in 100% egg mortality at a concentration of 100 μg/mL and 100% mortality for adult fleas starting from 1,000 μg/mL. Dillapiole standard was also effective but at a relatively high concentration. This finding suggested that EOs from P. aduncum exhibit cytotoxicity against these pests and might hold potential for commercial production, offering practical applications for such bioprospecting. This study uniquely revealed that the EOs from P. aduncum, which is rich in dillapiole, demonstrated pulicidal activity against the parasite C. felis felis, particularly in inhibiting the hatching of the eggs of these parasites.