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Abstract

Investigations into the larvicidal potential of crude extracts of ten Nigerian plants were carried out against the fourth instar larvae of Anopheles gambiae mosquito. The phytochemical screening revealed that both anthraquinones and cyanogenic glycosides were absent in all the plants. However, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, terpenes and flavonoids were either present or absent. The larvicidal activity expressed as % LA was concentration and incubation-time dependent. At 5%w/v (12 and 24h), only Carica papaya and Dacryodes edulis demonstrated remarkable larvicidal activity of 40% and 55% and 50% and 70% respectively while the rest were largely inactive. However, at 10%w/v (12 and 24h), seven of the ten plants namely; Antholeisia djalonensis (60% and 80%), Calotropis procera (50% and 70%), Carica papaya (70% and 80%), Cyathula prostrata (37% and 67%), Dacryodes edulis (90% and 100%), Pycanthus angolensis (45% and 50%) and Viscum album (33% and 73%) gave comparably stronger activities especially after 24h incubation time. This study indicates a potential use of these plants in the control of vector mosquitoes which cause malaria.