OBJECTIVE To determine the larvicidal and repellent activities of Coccinia (C) indica Wight and Arnold (Family:Cucurbitaceae) extract against Culex (Cx.) quinquefasciatus, Aedes (Ae.) aegypti and Anopheles (An.) stephensi. MATERIALS AND METHODS The ovicidal activity was determined against three mosquito species to various concentrations ranging from 50-300 ppm under the laboratory conditions....

No studies have been performed on the mitochondria of malaria vector mosquitoes. This information would be valuable in understanding mosquito aging and detoxification of insecticides, two parameters that have a significant impact on malaria parasite transmission in endemic regions. In the present study, we report the analyses of respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria of cultu...

Methanolic extracts of leaves and seeds from the chinaberry tree, Melia azedarach L. (Meliaceae) was tested against mature and immature mosquito vector Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera) under laboratory condition. The extract showed strong larvicidal, pupicidal, adulticidal, antiovipositional activity, repellency and biting deterency. The M. azedarach seed and leaf extracts were used to dete...

The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) enzyme system is a major mechanism of xenobiotic biotransformation. The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is required for transfer of electrons from NADPH to P450. One CPR gene was identified in the genome of the malaria-transmitting mosquito Anopheles stephensi Liston (Diptera: Culicidae). The gene encod...

Background: Mosquitoes transmit several diseases to human. There are several measures for control of larvae. As part of Integrated Vector Management (IVM) program, the utility of floating layers of polystyrene beads (EPS) is a potential alternative in habitats of mosquito larva. EPS beads prevent oviposition of mosquito as well as killing the immature stages by forming a tick layer on the water...

Hormozgan Province is located in the south of Iran bordering the Persian Gulf. In this area, malaria is still considered a major health problem. In the province, eleven species of Anopheles were identified: An. pulcherrimus, An. sergenti, An. apoci, An. multicolor, An. subpictus, An. turkhudi, An. fluviatilis, An. stephensi, An. d'thali, An. superpictus, and An. culicifacies, among which only t...

Rabbits immunized with polypeptides of midgut of glucose fed A. stephensi resulted in high titer of antibodies (10(4)-10(6)) as detected by ELISA. Effect of antisera on fecundity, hatchability and engorgement was investigated. Fecundity was reduced drastically (62.4%). Eight polypeptides were recognized by the antisera raised against midgut tissues viz., 92, 85, 55, 52, 45, 38, 29 and 13 kDa. C...

Two new crystal protein genes, cry19A and orf2, isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan were cloned and characterized. The cry19A gene encodes a 74.7-kDa protein, and the orf2 gene encodes a 60-kDa protein. Cry19A contains the five conserved blocks present in most B. thuringiensis delta-endotoxins. The ORF2 amino acid sequence is similar to that of the carboxy terminus of Cry4 pr...

      The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Laurus nobilis L. has been examined by gas chromatography (GC) and GC- mass spectrometery (MS). The main components of the oil were identified. 1,8-Cineole was the major component in the oil together with b-terpinyl acetate, terpinene-4-ol, a-pinene, b-pinene, p-cymene, linalool and ...