Chemical composition and laboratory investigation of Melissa officinalis essential oil against human malarial vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

Objective: To decide the larvicides, ovicidal, pupicidal and repellent activity of Melissa officinalis (M. officinalis) chemical compositions against important mosquito Anopheles stephensi (An. stephensi) (Diptera: Culicidae). Methods: A chemical constituent of 24 compounds was identified in the oils of M. officinalis compounds representing to 98.73%. A total of 25 3rd instar larvae of An. stephensi were showed to a variety of concentrations (30–300 mg/L) in laboratory by means of utilizing the standard procedure portrayed by World Health Organization (2005). The larvae were exposed for 24 h and mortalities were subjected to probit analysis. The ovicidal activity was strong-minded against An. stephensi mosquito to a variety of concentrations ranging from 15– 90 mg/L under the laboratory circumstances. The repellent activity of M. officinalis chemical compositions tested at concentrations of 0.75 and 1.50 mg/cm2 was evaluated in a net cage (45 cm × 45 cm × 40 cm) including 100 blood starving female mosquitoes of An. stephensi using the methods of World Health Organization (1996). Results: The LC50 and LC90 values of citronellal compound against An. stephensi larvae were 85.44 and 159.73 mg/L, respectively. Mean percent hatchability of the ovicidal action was observed 48 h post-treatment. Similarly, the citronellal compound and other compositions were found to be mainly effective against eggs of An. stephensi. Citronellal compound exerted 45, 60, 75 and 90 mg/L against An. stephensi, respectively. The repellent activity of citronellal compound was contained to be mainly effective and the maximum action was observed at 0.75 and 1.50 mg/cm2 concentrations giving 100% protection up to 210 min against An. stephensi. Conclusions: This current study was undertaken to evaluate the larvicidal, ovicidal, repellent potential of compounds from the M. officinalis essential oil against An. stephensi. This is initial statement on the mosquito larvicidal, ovicidal and repellent activity of M. officinalis chemical compositions