Mosquito Larvicidal Activity of Leaf Extract of Annona squamosa against Dengue Vector, Aedes albopictus

The Aedes albopictus mosquito serves as a vector for various diseases affecting both humans and livestock. Current mosquito control strategies primarily rely on synthetic insecticides, which, despite their effectiveness, pose significant challenges such as insecticide resistance, environmental pollution, and adverse effects on human health. Plant-based products offer a promising alternative as they generally exhibit fewer adverse effects on ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the larvicidal efficacy of Annona squamosa leaf extracts using aqueous, ethanol, and hexane solvents against third-instar larvae of Aedes albopictus. The results revealed varying LC50 values for the third instar larvae: 2790.318 ppm (aqueous extract), 11775.170 ppm (ethanol extract), and 20417.320 ppm (hexane extract). Notably, the hexane extract exhibited the highest larvicidal activity, particularly after 24 hours of exposure. These findings underscore the potential of plant- derived compounds, particularly those extracted using hexane, as effective agents for mosquito control.