Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of essential oils from Peganum harmala, Nepeta cataria and Phellodendron amurense against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae)

摘要

Essential oils from aerial parts of the herbs Peganum harmala and Nepeta cataria , and leaves of the tree Phellodendron amurense were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS, and their larvicidal activities were assayed on the early fourth instar larvae of Aedes aegypti . The major constituents of the oils were limonene (14.5%) and thymol (11.5%) in P. harmala , thymol (46.5%), 4aα,7α,7aβ-nepetalactone (18.3%) and 4aα,7β,7aα-neptalactone (19.7%) in N. cataria , eugenol (14.5%) andγ-eudesmol (9.5%) in P. amurense .The oil of N. cataria had a strong larvicidal activity (LC 50 ??50?μg/mL; LC 90 ??86.8?μg/mL) on A. aegypti while the remaining oils showed a moderated killing effect. The larvicidal activity of N. cataria oil was associated to the contents of 1,8-cineol, camphor, 4aα,7α,7aβ-Nepetalactone, 4aα,7β,7aα-Nepetalactone and thymol. Our results indicate that the oil of N. cataria deserves to be used as a source of larvicidal agents against A. aegypti .