[Inhibitory effect of turpentine oil on Aedes aegypti (Diptera:Culicidae) larvae growth].

Introduction: in the fight for environmental protection, finding out alternative ways to control vectors that are important from the medical viewpoint is a must. Those plants having potent active principles and high chemical stability to act as pesticides can contribute to this end.

Objective: to evaluate the possible inhibitory effect of photochemically-modified turpentine oil on Aedes aegypti larvae growth.

Methods: Aedes aegypti larvae of an insecticide-sensitive strain from the insect breeding site located in the Institute of Tropical Medicine were used. During a week after the exposure to the lethal dose causing 90% mortality, the mortality indexes of larvae and pupas were recorded as well as the number of emerged adults and their sex in addition to adults stuck to the exuvias.

Results: high larval and pupal mortality was observed in the survivors to the lethal dose causing 90% mortality after one week of the exposure; mortality index was 39.46%. Larvae which managed to grow to become adults amounted to 60.54% of the surviving larvae. Female to male ratio was very similar in the control whereas the exposed group showed a higher number of male adults. On estimating the hatching inhibition percentage, it got 36.47%.

Conclusions: the activity of turpentine oil as larvicide and Ae. aegypti growth inhibitor was demonstrated.