Mosquitoes, one of the deadliest animals on the planet, cause millions of fatalities each year by transmitting
several human illnesses. Therefore, it was necessary to use many synthetic pesticides to prevent the spread of
diseases, which led to an increase in the effective use of synthetic pesticides to protect humans. The extensive use
of pesticides caused serious health problems for humans, environmental damage, and mosquito resistance to
synthetic insecticides. This study aimed to evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of Datura stramonium extracts
(methanol, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, and aqueous) against larvae and adults of Culex pipiens and Aedes aegypti with
phytochemical profiles. Bioassays were conducted under laboratory conditions, and lethal concentrations (LC₅₀
and LC₉₀) were calculated after 24 and 48 h. Methanol and ethyl acetate extracts showed the strongest ability to
kill larvae, with LC₅₀ values of 40.19 ppm for Cx. pipiens and 71.46 ppm for Ae. aegypti. In adulticidal assays,
aqueous and ethyl acetate extracts induced the highest mortality rates (up to 88 %) at 100 ppm. The methanol
extract exhibited strong antimicrobial activity, recording the largest inhibition zone (27 mm) against Klebsiella
pneumoniae, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (25 mm) and Candida albicans (22 mm). highlighting its potential
as a dual-function natural agent with both insecticidal and antimicrobial properties. UPLC/MS analysis identified
several bioactive phytochemicals, including alkaloids withanolides, alkaloids, phenolic acids, cinnamic acid
derivatives and flavonoids, that may contribute to the observed effects. The n-hexane extract revealed twelve
volatile components from the mono-, di-, and sesquiterpenoid classes, along with volatile alkaloids such as
nicotine and scopolamine. Antimicrobial tests also revealed moderate to high inhibition against selected bacterial
and fungal pathogens. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the genes Apismin, Defincin 1, SFCYP1, SFCYP4,
SFCYP5, and SFRYR were significantly increased, while SFCYP3 was consistently decreased in both Datura and
pesticide. However, SFCYP2 is believed to increase in pesticide and decreased in Datura. These findings highlight
Datura stramonium as an available, eco-friendly, and promising natural alternative to synthetic insecticides for
vector control. |
