• Main Authors: Gonzalo Batallán, Romina Torre, Fernando Flores, Brenda Konigheim, Francisco Ludueña-Almeida, Carlos Tonn, Marta Contigiani, Walter Almirón
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2013-01-01
• Series: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Subjects: Larrea cuneifolia; Culex quinquefasciatus; larvicidal
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0037-86822013000100084

<sec><title>INTRODUCTION: </title>The aim of the present study was to analyze the larvicidal activity of different crude extracts of Larrea cuneifolia and its most abundant lignan, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), against Culex quinquefasciatus. </sec><sec><title>METHODS:</title> Chloroform, methanol, and aqueous extracts from L. cuneifolia and NDGA were tested against larvae of Cx. quinquefasciatus under laboratory conditions. </sec><sec><title>RESULTS:</title> The chloroform extract showed the highest larvicidal effect, with an estimated LC50 of 0.062 mg/ml. NDGA also demonstrated significant larvicidal activity with an estimated LC50 of 0.092 mg/ml. </sec><sec><title>CONCLUSIONS:</title> These results indicate that the chloroform extract of L. cuneifolia and NDGA are promising insecticides of botanical origin that could be useful for controlling Cx. quinquefasciatus.</sec>