Larvicidal effects of crude extracts of dried ripened fruits of Piper nigrum against Culex quinquefasciatus larval instars.

The medical importance of mosquitoes as vectors for transmission of serious diseases that cause morbidity, mortality, economic loss, and social disruption such as malaria, lymphatic filariasis, and viral diseases is well-documented1. Mosquitoes not only cause nuisance by their bites but also transmit deadly disease like malaria, filariasis, yellow fever, dengue and Japanese encephalitis, contribute significantly to poverty and social debility in tropical countries2. The mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus act as a vector for Wuchereria bancrofti responsible for filariasis in India. However, control of such diseases are becoming increasingly difficult because the overproduction of detoxifying mechanisms of chemical insecticides has been reported for Culex species3.