Laboratory Evaluation of Larvicidal Activity of the Essential oil of Allium tuberosum Roots and its Selected Major Constituent Compounds Against Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)

The aim of this research was to evaluate larvicidal activity of the essential oil of Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengle roots and its constituents against larval mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus Skuse). Essential oil of A. tuberosum was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The major constituents of the oil were found to be sulfur-containing compounds, including allyl methyl trisulfide (35.19%), diallyl disulfide (28.31%), diallyl trisulfide (20.91%), and dimethyl trisulfide (12.33%). The essential oil of A. tuberosum exhibited larvicidal activity against the fourth-instar larvae of Ae. albopictus, with an LC50 value of 18 μg/ml. The constituents compounds—diallyl trisulfide (LC50 = 4 μg/ml) and diallyl disulfide (LC50 = 6 μg/ml)—possessed stronger larvicidal activity than allyl methyl trisulfide (LC50 = 27 μg/ml) and dimethyl trisulfide (LC50 = 35 μg/ml) against the fourth-instar larvae of Ae. albopictus. The results indicated that the essential oil of A. tuberosum and its major constituents have good potential as a source for natural larvicides.