Mosquito control using insecticides has been the most successful intervention known to reduce malaria prevalence and/or incidence. However, over time success has been hampered due to the development of resistance by mosquitoes against chemical insecticides recommended for public health use. Development of effective botanical mosquitocidal compounds however can be potential alternatives tool in malaria vector control. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the mosquitocidal effect of "Birbira" (Mellitia ferruginea) seed extract against the primary malaria vector, Anopheles arabiensis from Ethiopia. The mosquitocidal activity of M. ferruginea was assessed following WHO susceptibility test procedure. Methanol extract of M. ferruginea seeds was evaluated against third & fourth instar larvae, pupae and, non-blood fed 3-5 days old laboratory strains and field populations of A. arabiensis under laboratory condition. Mortality was then recorded after 24h exposure. The seed extract of M. ferruginea showed high mosquitocidal activity against larvae, pupae and adult stages of both the laboratory strain and field population of A. arabiensis. The LC50 values for larvae and pupae population from a laboratory strains was, respectively, 14.7 and 41.33mg/L. While the LC50 values for the larvae and a pupa of the field population were, respectively, 30.88 and 74.54mg/L. In addition, the LC99 and LD99 values were also identified. The findings of this study indicated that, the extract could be applied on mosquito breeding sites. The plant extract could be also used for indoor residual sprays after conducting the persistency test.
Keywords: Bioassay; Botanicals; Ethiopia; Malaria; Mosquito; Vector control.
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