MADRE DE CACAO (Gliricidia sepium) AND BOTTLEBRUSH (Callistemon viminalis) LEAVES EXTRACT AS MOSQUITO LARVICIDE

Mosquitoes are major disease vectors, therefore keeping them under control is essential for human health. Insecticides have been shown to be effective at controlling mosquito populations, but insecticide resistance and environmental concerns are increasing. Looking for the health and environment hazards and cost of synthetic insecticides, there is a need to find a safe, practical and effective alternatives. This study aimed to determine the level of effectiveness and the presence of phytochemical analysis of Gliricidia sepium and Callistemon viminalis leaves extracts. It also included the larvicidal effect from the different extract formulations of Madre de Cacao and Bottlebrush at different instar stage of mosquito larvae. It further investigated whether there is no significant difference in the effectivity among the five different formulations of leaves extract. Results of the experiment revealed that 100% Madre de Cacao formulation were found to be very effective in killing mosquito larvae followed by 75%:25%, 50%:50%, 25%:75% while 100% Bottlebrush formulation came out as less effective. Likewise, Madre de Cacao and Bottlebrush contain sterols, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, glycosides, tannins and triterpene that have larvicidal impact on mosquito. Finally, a significant difference exists among the different treatments. Madre de Cacao and Bottlebrush maybe recommended as home-based mosquito larvicide which were found to be not hazardous to the health of people in extracting the leaves. A community may build and designate a certain area for plantation and development of Madre de Cacao tree and other plants that potentially source of insecticides specially mosquito larvae that can lessen the harmful effects of using commercial pesticides in controlling mosquitoes.