Larvicidal activity of extracts and protein fractions of Annona muricata L. on Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

In public health, vector control programs prioritize the use of chemical insecticides and exclude alternative eco-friendly plant-derived methods. Annona muricata exhibits bioinsecticidal activity that can modify developmental stages, physiological processes, and lethality in disease-transmitting insects. However, Annonaceae species' active principles and proteins require entomotoxic validation using a Culicidae biological model. Ethanolic (ExtEtOH) and alkaloid (ExtAlc) extracts and (PF) protein fractions from A. muricata seeds were evaluated on 4( th) instar larvae of Culex quinquefasciatus using a comparative scheme. The qualitative chemical analysis of ExtEtOH revealed alkaloids, amino acids, lactones, tannins, cardenolides, acetogenins, and flavonoids. Protein extract molecular exclusion chromatography allowed the separation of five protein fractions. PF3 exhibited larval mortality of 33% with 0.5 mg/ml, LC50 0.66 mg/ml ( p : 0.166), and ExtAlc showed 30% with LC50 0.74 mg/ml ( p : 0.754) while ExtEtOH conferred 100% mortality and LC50 0.03 mg/ml ( p : 0.976). We observed immediate larvicidal reactions by ExtEtOH of 97% in 12 h and mediate reactions by PF and ExtAlc of 72% in 72 h.