LARVICIDAL ACTIVITY OF ESSENTIAL OIL FROM LEAVES AND ROOTS OF Philodendron bipinnatifidum schott (ARACEAE)

Abstract

In 2018, approximately 265,934 probable cases of dengue, 87,687 probable cases of chikungunya fever and 8,680 probable cases of Zika virus fever were reported in Brazil, according to the Ministry of Health. Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika with their respective serotype viruses DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3 and DEN-4; CHIKV and ZIKV, although they are diseases of etiological agent belonging to different viruses, are closely linked because it is transmitted to the same transmitting agent, the mosquito Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicide). Based on this information, and in addition to the lack of an effective vaccine, disease control programs nowadays depend almost exclusively on the A. aegypti mosquito control efforts, which have been promising in many areas. In this context the search for new larvicides and mainly of natural origin has been seen as an excellent alternative. The use of essential oils from plants is already described in the literature with larvicidal and insecticidal activating potential. The essential oil of Pilodendron bipinnatifidum leaves, native to the tropical forests of Paraguay and southeastern Brazil, was extracted at the UFPE Chemical Ecology Laboratory using the hydrodistillation technique, which also produces aqueous extract and hydrolate. The oil was identified using the GC-MS technique and the major compounds were Germacrene D (44.78%), Bicyclogermacrene (19.59%) and δ-Elemene (7.13%). The oil and extract were submitted to larvicidal tests against A. aegypti, and the extract showed activity for successive tests with a mortality of 40 and 60% for extracts (90% v / v) of dry and fresh leaves, respectively. The oviposition test was also performed with the oil, but showed not active against the oviposition females.