Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of crude petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone and aqueous aerial extracts of Cleome viscosa against the filarial vector, Culex quinquefasciatus. Methods: Standard World Health Organization protocols with minor modifications was adopted for the larvicidal bioassay. Larvicidal activity of exyracts was evaluated at concentrations of 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1 000 mg/L. Larval mortality was observed after 24 and 48 h. Results: Amongst the solvent extracts tested, petroleum ether exhibited the highest larvicidal activity and LC50 values was 52.62 and 43.16 mg/L followed by acetone, aqueous and chloroform extract with LC 50 values of 328.64 and 280.58; 493.44 and 298.76; 509.27 and 434.40 mg/L after 24 and 48 h respectively. Conclusions: Further investigations are needed to explore the larvicidal activity of the petroleum ether aerial extract of this plant against a wide range of mosquito species and also the active ingredient(s) of the extract responsible for larvicidal activity should be identified.

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