Mosquito larvicidal activity of alkaloids from Zanthoxylum lemairei against the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae

Four alkaloids, 10-O-demethyl-17-O-methylisoarnottianamide 1, 6-acetonyl-N-methyl-dihydrodecarine 2, nitidine 3, and chelerythrine 4 were isolated from the plant Zanthoxylum lemairei (Rutaceae) and evaluated for mosquito larvicidal activity against the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. The mortalities of the larvae were determined after 24 h. The results of the larvicidal tests demonstrated that compounds 1 and 2 were the most potent with mortality rates of 96.7% and 98.3% at a concentration of 250 mg/L, respectively. Compound 3 was less potent with a mortality of 28.3% at the same concentration. The percent mortality of 100% was observed at a concentration of 500 mg/L. The least potent of the four alkaloids was compound 4, which achieved 100% mortality at 1000 mg/L. These findings could be useful in the research for newer more selective, biodegradable and natural larvicidal compounds or can be used as lead compounds for the development of larvicides.