Abstract
Mosquitoes play a key role in the transmission of some important diseases. The need for controlling these insects is critical to reduce their risks to human and domesticated animals. Recently the trend to explore effective chemical compounds from local plants has begun as a safe means of control. The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-larval activity of Chrysanthemum extract and the prepared silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) against the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the dengue vector in Saudi Arabia. A series of different concentrations of ethanol extract and extract prepared AgNPs against the fourth-life larvae was tested. The effective concentrations of crude extract and AgNPs ranged from 50 to 250 and 10 to 30ppm respectively, and the death percentages corresponding to these concentrations ranged from 18 to 92 and 36 to 96% respectively. According to the LC50 values of treated larvae, AgNPs (12.754ppm) is more effective against A. aegypti mosquito larvae than the crude extract (228.345ppm) at about 17.9 times. The mixing of the plant extract with the silver nitrate has led to potentiation. This is due to the synergy that occurs between the extract and the silver particles during the reduction process. The compounds in the extract are related to the surface of the particles, increasing the strength of their effects. It is recommend to separate the active elements in the Chrysanthemum plant and its preparation in the form of nanoparticles as a promising compound in mosquito control programs with least damage to human kind and the environment.
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•Mosquitoes play a key role in the transmission of diseases such as dengue fever.•The new trends are to use effective plant extract as a safe means of insect control.•AgNPs were green biosynthesized by plant ethanol extract.•AgNPs were tested as insecticide against the fourth-life larvae of Aedes aegypti.•Effective concentrations (ppm) of extract with AgNPs are less than of crude extract.