Physicochemical characterization and repellent activity of encapsulated botanicals against the dengue vector Aedes aegypti
Keywords:
Aedes aegypti, Dengue vector, Microencapsulation, Nanoencapsulation, Sustainable mosquito managementAbstract
Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue continue to pose significant public health challenges worldwide, primarily due to the rapid distribution and adaptability of Aedes aegypti. Conventional chemical control methods are increasingly limited by issues such as insecticide resistance, short residual activity, and environmental concerns, emphasizing the need for sustainable alternatives. The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity and repellent efficacy of encapsulated essential oils (micro- and nano-formulations) against the dengue vector A. aegypti. Essential oils from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), grapefruit (Citrus paradisi), and neem (Azadirachta indica) were assessed for their repellent potential. Bioassays revealed that lemongrass oil exhibited the highest repellency, providing up to three hours of protection at the highest concentration among unencapsulated treatments. Encapsulation markedly enhanced both the efficacy and persistence of repellency. Specifically, microencapsulated lemongrass oil with chitosan provided up to seven hours of repellency, while nanoencapsulated lemongrass oil extended protection to nine hours against adult A. aegypti. Successful encapsulation was confirmed through zeta potential analysis, demonstrating stable formulations. Overall, the findings highlight that micro- and nanoencapsulation significantly improve the longevity and effectiveness of essential oil-based repellents, offering a promising eco-friendly approach for sustainable dengue vector management. Future research should focus on optimizing encapsulation parameters to achieve enhanced controlled release and prolonged field efficacy.
References
Aktar, M. W., Sengupta, D., & Chowdhury, A. (2009). Impact of pesticides use in agriculture: Their benefitsand hazards. Interdisciplinary Toxicology, 2(1), 1–12. http://doi.org/1010.2478/v10102-009-0001-7
Balaji, A. P. B., Ashu, A., Manigandan, S., Sastry, T. P., Mukherjee, A., & Chandrasekaran, N. (2017). Polymeric nanoencapsulation of insect repellent: Evaluation of its bioefficacy on Culex quinquefasciatus mosquito population and effective impregnation onto cotton fabrics for insect repellent clothing. Journal of King Saud University-Science, 29(4), 517-527. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2016.12.005
Bhatt, S., Gething, P. W., Brady, O. J., Messina, J. P., Farlow, A. W., Moyes, C. L., & Hay, S. I. (2013). The global distribution and burden of dengue. Nature, 496(7446), 504-507. : http://doi.org/10.1038/nature12060
Durán, N., Durán, M., de Jesus, M. B., Seabra, A. B., Fávaro, W. J., & Nakazato, G. (2016). Silver nanoparticles: A new view on mechanistic aspects on antimicrobial activity. Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology and Medicine, 12(3), 789–799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2015.11.016
Forte, F., Del Giudice, V., De Paola, P., & Troisi, F. (2020). Valuation of the vocationality of cultural heritage: the vesuvian villas. Sustainability, 12(3), 943. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12030943
Fleischer, T., & Grunwald, A. (2008). Making nanotechnology developments sustainable. A role for technology assessment? Journal of Cleaner Production, 16 (8-9), 889-898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2007.04.018
Isman, M. B. (2020). Botanical insecticides in the twenty-first century Fulfilling their promise? Annual Review of Entomology, 65, 233–249. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-ento-011019-025010
Kumar, S., Bhanjana, G., Sharma, A., Sidhu, M. C., & Dilbaghi, N. (2014). Synthesis, characterization and on field evaluation of pesticide loaded sodium alginate nanoparticles. Carbohydrate Polymers, 101, 1061-1067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2013.10.025
Luker, H. A., Salas, K. R., Esmaeili, D., Holguin, F. O., Bendzus-Mendoza, H., & Hansen, I. A. (2023). Repellent efficacy of 20 essential oils on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and Ixodes scapularis ticks in contact-repellency assays. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 1705. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28820-9
Maia, M. F., & Moore, S. J. (2011). Plant-based insect repellents: A review of their efficacy, development and testing. Malaria Journal, 10(Suppl 1), S11.
Mohanraj, V. J., & Chen, Y. (2006). Nanoparticles–a review. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 5(1), 561–573. https://doi.org/10.4314/tjpr.v5i1.14634
Nnamonu, L. A., Sha’Ato, R., & Onyido, I. (2012). Alginate reinforced chitosan and starch beads in slow release formulation of imazaquin herbicide—preparation and characterization. Carbohydrate polymers, 86(2), 1007-1013. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/msa.2012.38081
Pavela, R., & Benelli, G. (2016). Essential oils as ecofriendly biopesticides. Industrial Crops and Products, 76, 174–187.
Poupardin, R., Reynaud, S., Strode, C., Ranson, H., Vontas, J., & David, J. P. (2008). Cross-induction of detoxification genes by environmental xenobiotics and insecticides in the mosquito Aedes aegypti: impact on larval tolerance to chemical insecticides. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 38(5), 540-551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibmb.2008.01.004
Ranson, H., & Lissenden, N. (2016). Insecticide resistance in Aedes aegypti: current status and future prospects. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 43(5), 331–337.
Riaz, M. A., Poupardin, R., Reynaud, S., Strode, C., Ranson, H., & David, J. P. (2009). Impact of glyphosate and benzopyrene on the tolerance of mosquito larvae to chemical insecticides. Role of detoxification genes in response to xenobiotics. Aquatic Toxicology, 93(1), 61-69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2009.03.005
Roy, A., Singh, S. K., Bajpai, J., & Bajpai, A. K. (2014). Controlled pesticide release from biodegradable polymers. Central European Journal of Chemistry, 12, 453-469. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11532-013-0405-2
Stander, L., & Theodore, L. (2011). Environmental implications of nanotechnology—an update. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 8(2), 470-479. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph8020470
Türkoğlu, G. C., Sarıışık, A. M., Erkan, G., Yıkılmaz, M. S., & Kontart, O. (2020). Micro-and nano-encapsulation of limonene and permethrin for mosquito repellent finishing of cotton textiles. Iranian Polymer Journal, 29, 321-329. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13726-020-00799-4
WHO. (2022). Zika virus. World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/zika-virus. Access on 06-06-2023.
WHO. (2024). Dengue and severe dengue (Fact sheet). World Health Organization. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.(https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue) Access on 06-05-2024.
Vishnu, M., Kannan, M., Soundararajan, R. P., Suganthi, A., Subramanian, A., Senthilkumar, M., & Govindaraju, K. (2024). Nano-bioformulations: emerging trends and potential applications in next generation crop protection. Environmental Science: Nano, 11(7), 2831-2860. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4EN00263F
Yan, H., Feng, Y., Hu, W., Cheng, C., Liu, R., Wang, C., & Lin, Q. (2013). Preparation and evaluation of alginate-chitosan-bentonite based beads for the delivery of pesticides in controlled-release formulation. Asian Journal of Chemistry, 25(17), 9936.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.