COMPARATIVE LARVICIDAL ACTIVITIES OF DIFFERENT CRUDE EXTRACT (AQEOUS, ETHANOL AND METHANOL) OF GARCINIAL KOLA (SEED) AGAINST CULEX SP. LARVAE

ABSTRACT

Mosquito resistance to chemical insecticides has posed a setback in vector control. Garcinia kola of the family Guttiferae is a common traditional medicinal plant with a distinctively bitter taste. This study aims to identify the phytochemicals present in G. kola and ascertain its larvicidal efficacy against Culex mosquito lawae. The phytochemical screening of the aqueous, methanol, and ethanol extracts of G. kola showed the presence of alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, and flavonoids, which are known to possess medicinal and larvicidal properties. For the larvicidal efficacy of the aqueous, methanol, and ethanol extracts of G. kola seeds on Culex sp. larvae, different concentrations of each extract were prepared at 500 ppm, 750 ppm, and 1000 ppm, and their mortality rates were recorded at 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours, respectively. The extracts' mortalities were found to increase with increasing concentration. The larval mortality of the extracts was observed, and methanol had the highest mortality rate at 72 hours at 1000 ppm with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 865.65 ppm and 1496.37 ppm, followed by ethanol at 72 hours at 1000 ppm with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 946.39 ppm and 2067.39 ppm, and aqueous showed the least larval mortality at 72 hours at 1000 ppm with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 2462.72 ppm. This study shows that G. kola is an eco-friendly natural product that can be used against mosquito larvae due to its promising larvicidal potency.