Bioprospection for new larvicides against Aedes aegypti based on ethnoknowledge from the Amazonian São Sebastião de Marinaú riverside community

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Vector-borne diseases represent a huge global burden impacting health systems. Aedes aegypti is the main vector of arboviral diseases including dengue, Zika, chikungunya and urban yellow fever in both tropical and subtropical areas. Ethnopharmacological investigations provide potential avenues for developing new vector control strategies.

Aim of the study: The objective of this study is to document the São Sebastião de Marinaú riverside community's ethnoknowledge of local Plants used to control mosquitoes and perform bioguided fractionation to isolate the compounds active against the arboviral disease vector Ae. aegypti.

Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents of the Marinaú community located in the Caxiuanã National Forest, in the Amazon biome, Pará, Brazil. The Plants used to control mosquitoes were subjected to phytochemical studies guided by Ae. aegypti assays. Extracts were obtained from seven species using distinct organic solvents. Active extracts and fractions were separated by chromatographic techniques. Isolated compounds were characterized by NMR, LC/MS and GC/MS. Sample activity against Ae. aegypti larvae and pupae was evaluated after 24, 48 and 72 h exposure. The extracts were also investigated against adult female mosquitoes. The LC₅₀ values were determined by diluting each sample to obtain different concentrations in the respective activity range.

Results: The Marinaú community uses more than ten Plants as a repellent, most of which are trees native to the region. The primary applications of these Plants to protect against insect bites were: burning Plants (fumigation), application of body oils and bathing in macerated Plants. Carapa guianensis is the predominant species used as a repellent. Extracts from Diospyros guianensis fruits, Carapa guianensis seed shells and Aspidosperma nitidum wood demonstrated Ae. aegypti larvicidal activity. The C. guianensis seed shell extract demonstrated a residual larvicidal effect. Plumbagin, stigmasterol, β-sitosterol, betulinic, ursolic and oleanolic acids, and betulin were identified in the D. guianensis extract. The plumbagin, ursolic and oleanolic acids displayed larvicidal activity. Oleanolic, ursolic and betulinic acids, and betulin were considered pupicidal. Aricine, the major alkaloid isolated from A. nitidum wood, also presented larvicidal activity.

Conclusions: Ten plant species traditionally used by the Marinaú community to afford protection against mosquitoes were reported. C. guianensis, D. guianensis and A. nitidum extracts were considered larvicidal against Ae. aegypti. Four Triterpenes stood out as very active compounds against pupae. Aricine, an indole alkaloid, displayed larvicidal activity. Therefore, traditional knowledge of Amazonian Plants combined with bioguided fractionation constitutes a strategy for the development of eco-friendly insecticides to control Ae. aegypti, an arbovirus vector.

Aedes aegypti; Amazonian plants; Amazonian riverside community; Ethnoknowledge; Insect control; bioguided Fractionation.