Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito

The continuous use of synthetic insecticides to suppress mosquito larvae has detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. Finding novel and target-specific bio-insecticides has become crucial. Here, the larvicidal and genotoxic activities of different extracts from <i>Ulva lactuca&...

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Main Authors: Ahmed A. Rashed, Yasmin M. Heikal, Robert D. Finn, Mohamed H. Bayoumy, Amged El-Harairy, Dina A. Refaay
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/12/1527
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author Ahmed A. Rashed
Yasmin M. Heikal
Robert D. Finn
Mohamed H. Bayoumy
Amged El-Harairy
Dina A. Refaay
author_facet Ahmed A. Rashed
Yasmin M. Heikal
Robert D. Finn
Mohamed H. Bayoumy
Amged El-Harairy
Dina A. Refaay
author_sort Ahmed A. Rashed
collection DOAJ
description The continuous use of synthetic insecticides to suppress mosquito larvae has detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. Finding novel and target-specific bio-insecticides has become crucial. Here, the larvicidal and genotoxic activities of different extracts from <i>Ulva lactuca</i> and <i>Turbinaria ornata</i> toward <i>Culex pipiens</i> larvae were investigated. The macroalgae thalli were subjected to various solvent extractions followed by phytochemical quantification, larvicidal testing on <i>C. pipiens</i> larvae, genotoxic evaluation through comet assays, and compound characterization by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The methylene chloride extract from <i>U. lactuca</i> displayed the highest toxicity with LC<sub>50</sub> = 30.99 ppm, followed by the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i>, with LC<sub>50</sub> = 52.09 ppm after 72 h. <i>U. lactuca</i> exhibited the maximum contents of total alkaloids, total flavonoids, total terpenoids, total phenols, and total tannins with the methanol extract, while the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i> exhibited the maximum contents of total alkaloids, total flavonoids, total terpenoids, and total phenols. The methylene chloride extract of <i>U. lactuca</i> and the acetone extract of <i>T. ornata</i> caused significant DNA damage in larva body cells. Thus, the methylene chloride extract from <i>U. lactuca</i> and the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i> showed promising potential as environmentally friendly larvicides against <i>C. pipiens</i> larvae.
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spelling doaj-art-2b9b700a9ce84772a92dfb11cf2683fa2025-08-20T02:53:41ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292024-11-011412152710.3390/life14121527Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House MosquitoAhmed A. Rashed0Yasmin M. Heikal1Robert D. Finn2Mohamed H. Bayoumy3Amged El-Harairy4Dina A. Refaay5Economic Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptBotany Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptDepartment of Biochemistry & Medical Genetics, St. George’s International School of Medicine, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UKEconomic Entomology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptDepartment of Crop and Animal Sciences, Albrecht Daniel Thaer-Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Albrecht-Thaer-Weg 5, 14195 Berlin, GermanyBotany Department, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, EgyptThe continuous use of synthetic insecticides to suppress mosquito larvae has detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. Finding novel and target-specific bio-insecticides has become crucial. Here, the larvicidal and genotoxic activities of different extracts from <i>Ulva lactuca</i> and <i>Turbinaria ornata</i> toward <i>Culex pipiens</i> larvae were investigated. The macroalgae thalli were subjected to various solvent extractions followed by phytochemical quantification, larvicidal testing on <i>C. pipiens</i> larvae, genotoxic evaluation through comet assays, and compound characterization by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The methylene chloride extract from <i>U. lactuca</i> displayed the highest toxicity with LC<sub>50</sub> = 30.99 ppm, followed by the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i>, with LC<sub>50</sub> = 52.09 ppm after 72 h. <i>U. lactuca</i> exhibited the maximum contents of total alkaloids, total flavonoids, total terpenoids, total phenols, and total tannins with the methanol extract, while the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i> exhibited the maximum contents of total alkaloids, total flavonoids, total terpenoids, and total phenols. The methylene chloride extract of <i>U. lactuca</i> and the acetone extract of <i>T. ornata</i> caused significant DNA damage in larva body cells. Thus, the methylene chloride extract from <i>U. lactuca</i> and the acetone extract from <i>T. ornata</i> showed promising potential as environmentally friendly larvicides against <i>C. pipiens</i> larvae.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/12/1527biocontrollarvicidal activity<i>Culex pipiens</i>Ulva lactuca<i>Turbinaria ornata</i>genotoxicity
spellingShingle Ahmed A. Rashed
Yasmin M. Heikal
Robert D. Finn
Mohamed H. Bayoumy
Amged El-Harairy
Dina A. Refaay
Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
Life
biocontrol
larvicidal activity
<i>Culex pipiens</i>
Ulva lactuca
<i>Turbinaria ornata</i>
genotoxicity
title Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
title_full Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
title_fullStr Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
title_full_unstemmed Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
title_short Toxicity of Macroalgae Extracts to Larvae of the Northern House Mosquito
title_sort toxicity of macroalgae extracts to larvae of the northern house mosquito
topic biocontrol
larvicidal activity
<i>Culex pipiens</i>
Ulva lactuca
<i>Turbinaria ornata</i>
genotoxicity
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/14/12/1527
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