Using nanoemulsions of the essential oils of a selection of medicinal plants from Jazan, Saudi Arabia, as a green larvicidal against Culex pipiens

Researchers are increasingly looking to plants as sources of novel ingredients active against vector-borne diseases. Medicinal plant extracts and their metabolites are an attractive source for such products. This study investigated the insecticidal activity of five essential oils extracted from the most common medicinal herbs in Jazan province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Extracted oils and nanoemulsions synthesized from those oils were characterized before application at different concentrations to laboratory-reared fourth-stage larvae of Culex pipens. Basil (Ocimum bascilicum) and cumin (Cuminum cyminum) essential oils showed moderate larvicidal effect with LC50 81.07 ug/mL and 96.29 ug/mL, respectively. That activity was improved in their nanoemulsion forms, as evidenced by a reduction in the LC50 to 65.19 ug/mL for basil and 64.50 ug/mL for cumin. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum), henna (Lawsonia inermis) and ginger (Zingiber officinalis) oils showed weaker insecticidal activity, with LC50 values of 394 ug/mL, 306 ug/mL, and 494 ug/mL, respectively. Moreover, the nanoemulsion forms of those essential oils did not show any improvement in their insecticidal activity. In conclusion, of the studied plants, the nanoemulsions of basil and cumin showed significant larvicidal activity.