Pharmacognostical and larvicidal evaluation of Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. from Western Ghats

Abstract

Mosquitoes are the most important single group of insects acting as vector for many tropical and subtropical diseases. Using insecticides of plant origin to interrupt the life cycle, vector borne diseases can be controlled. Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. popularly known as Monkey Jack or Lakuch is ethnobotanically used to treat fever, purge, skin ailments and also as an appetizer. The present study investigated thepharmacognostical and larvicidal activity of leaves and fruits of A. lakoocha against Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus larvae. As a step towards standardization of crude drug, the powder microscopy, physico-chemical analysis, TLC studies and HPTLC profiles of active pet ether extract were established. The larvicidal potential of successive solvent extracts were screened and expressed as LC₅₀ values. The pet ether extract of leaves and fruits were significant with LC₅₀ 241.36, 624.88, 1162.86 and 1180.95, 1286.69, 1398.69 µg/mL on the three species, respectively compared to other extracts. The results indicate that the triterpenoids and phytosterols present in the pet ether extract exerted a dose dependent larvicidal activity and the malarial vector, An. stephensi was more susceptible to the pet ether extract.