Larvicidal potential of extracts and isolated compounds from Piper cubeba fruits against Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae

Abstract

Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of virus transmission that causes dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya and zika. The primary prevention method has been vector control and synthetic insecticides that can cause environmental side effects. Thus, the work aimed to evaluate the larvicidal potential of extracts and isolated compounds from Piper cubeba against A. aegypti larvae. The larvicidal activity method was executed according to the World Health Organization protocol. The larvae were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Through molecular docking, the action mechanism was investigated. The hydroalcoholic and hexane extracts showed similar larvicidal activity with LC₅₀ of 191.1 μg/mL and 185.84 μg/mL, respectively. Between isolated compounds, hinokinin presented LC₅₀= 97.74 μg/mL. The SEM analysis showed structural damage to the larva's tegument caused by extracts and isolated compounds. Therefore, the results demonstrate the larvicidal action of hinokinin and extracts, which can lead to the development of new natural larvicides.

Keywords: UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase; hinokinin; larvicidal activity; lignans.