Bioactivity of Leaf Extract Hyptis suaveolens (Bush tea) on Larvae of Anopheles gambiae Collected from Keffi Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria.

Abstract

Malaria vector control continues to be a major challenge in -Nigeria. Hyptis suaveolens (Bush tea) is one of the traditionally used mosquitos repellent. The effect of methanolic leaf extract of Hyptis suaveolenson larvae of Anopheles gambiae sampled from Keffi, was conducted following the world Health Organization guidelines for laboratory testing. Samples of the leaf were collected and used for test Procedures. Larvae of A. gambiae were exposed to 50, 100, 150,200, 250 and 0.00(control) mg/ml concentrations of leaf extract for 72 hours. Percentage mortality was calculated by using Abott’s formular and lethal concentration (LC₅₀) was determined by a log dosage probit mortality. The result revealed highest and lowest mortality rate of 25.00 ± 0.00 and 1.66± 0.00 for larvae respectively. There were significant differences at (P<0.05) on the mortality rate on the larvae exposed to different concentrations of the plant extracts. The 72 hours LC₅₀ value leaf extracts on larvae was 52.00mg/ml. The result of this study indicated that Hyptis suaveolens possess larvicidal repellant properties and it should be encouraged to be used in communities at zero expense.