Edible Plant Extracts against <i>Aedes aegypti</i> and Validation of a <i>Piper nigrum</i> L. Ethanolic Extract as a Natural Insecticide
Lais Silva Morais,
João Paulo Barreto Sousa,
Carolina Melo Aguiar,
Ciro Martins Gomes,
Daniel Pecoraro Demarque,
Lorena Carneiro Albernaz,
Laila Salmen Espindola
Affiliations
Lais Silva Morais
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
João Paulo Barreto Sousa
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Carolina Melo Aguiar
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Ciro Martins Gomes
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Daniel Pecoraro Demarque
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Lorena Carneiro Albernaz
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
Laila Salmen Espindola
Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília CEP 70910-900, DF, Brazil
The Aedes aegypti mosquito significantly impacts public health, with vector control remaining the most efficient means of reducing the number of arboviral disease cases. This study screened the larvicidal and pupicidal activity of common edible plant extracts. Piper nigrum L. (black pepper) extract production was optimized using accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and validated following regulatory requirements using HPLC-PDA analytical methodology to quantify its major component–piperine. Larvicidal activity was determined for the standardized P. nigrum fruit ethanol extract (LC50 1.1 µg/mL) and piperine standard (LC50 19.0 µg/mL). Furthermore, 9-day residual activity was determined for the extract (4 µg/mL) and piperine (60 µg/mL), with daily piperine quantification. Semi-field trials of solid extract formulations demonstrated 24-day activity against Ae. aegypti larvae. Thus, the standardized P. nigrum extract emerges as a potential candidate for insecticide development to control the arboviral vector.
