Bioactivity of medicinal plants Mentha arvensis and Peganum harmala extracts against Heterotermes indicola (Wasmann) (Isoptera)

As termites are hazardous causing damages to wooden structures leading to huge economic loss, efforts are directed towards the study of plant based products for effective and eco-friendly termite control. Present study was performed to determine the chemical constituents of the seed extracts from two medicinal plant species of Peganum harmala and Mentha arvensis against Heterotermes indicola. An impregnated filter paper no-choice bioassay method was applied. In Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of M. arvensis, eleven different compounds were identified. Compounds in seed extractives of P. harmala were Cyclopropanepentanoic acid, 2-undecyl-, methyl ester, trans 5-Octadecenoic acid, methyl ester, Linoleic acid ethyl ester, Leptaflorine and Harmine. The biological activity of these seed extracts was investigated against H. indicola in laboratory bioassay. Results revealed that extracts of P. harmala exhibited anti-termitic activity in a dose-dependent manner and showed a significant activity after 40 hours of exposure while the extract of M. arvensis was toxic and also attractant.TheLT50 value of M. arvensis was 38.48, 67.54 and 83.19 hour respectively for 10%, 5 % and 3 % respectively. However, In case of P. harmala the LT50 was76.56,142.6 and 147.9 hours for 10%, 5 % and 3 % respectively. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) identified components could b