Comparative excito-repellency of three Cambodian plant-derived extracts against two mosquito vector species, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles minimus

A study of the behavioral responses of Aedes aegypti and Anopheles nzinimus to 3 Cambodian plant extracts at 3 different concentrations (1%, 2.5%, and 5%) was performed using an excito-repellency test system. These 3 plants were Strophanthus scandens, Capparis micracantha, and Dioscorea hispida, selected according to traditional healer's knowledge, bibliographic studies and market surveys. Results showed that S. scandens leaves' hexane extract was the only one to exert repellency against Ae. aegypti with 23.3% of escaped mosquitoes at a concentration of 5%. Capparis micracantha was responsible for an irritant activity against An. minimus with 20.2% of escaped mosquitoes at a concentration of 2.5% and 22.8% escaping at a concentration of 5%. Dioscorea hispida showed an irritant activity on both mosquito species with 23.2% of escaped Ae. aegypti at a concentration of 5% and about 20% of escaped An. ininimus at 2.5% and 5%. This is the first report on the irritant and repellent activities of S. scandens, D. hispida, and C. micracantha against mosquito species