Efficacy of Essential Oils from Edible Plants as Insecticides Against the House Fly, Musca Domestica L..docVIP

Molecules 2009, 14, 1938-1947; doi:10.3390/moleculeOPEN ACCESS molecules ISSN 1420-3049 /journal/molecules Article Efficacy of Essential Oils from Edible Plants as Insecticides Against the House Fly, Musca Domestica L. Sara M. Palacios 1,*, Alberto Bertoni 1, Yanina Rossi 1, Rocío Santander 2 and Alejandro Urzúa 2 1 Laboratory of Fine Chemicals and Natural Products, Faculty of Chemical Sciences. Catholic University of Córdoba, Camino a Alta Gracia Km 10, (5000) Córdoba, Argentina. Fax: 0351- 4938061. Tel.: 0351- 4938060; E-mails: bertonialberto@ (A.B.); yanirro@ (Y.R.) 2 Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago, Chile. Phone: 56-2-7181155; Fax: 56-2-6812108; E-mail: aurzuamoll44@ (A.U.); rocio.santander@ (R.S.) * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-mail: sarapalacios@.ar Received: 14 April 2009; in revised form: 15 May 2009 / Accepted: 18 May 2009 / Published: 25 May 2009 Abstract: The compositions of 12 essential oils (EOs) obtained by hydrodistillation of edible fruits and herbs were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). The insecticidal activity of each oil against the house fly Musca domestica was evaluated by placing flies in a glass jar with a screw cap that held a piece of EO-treated cotton yarn. The dose necessary to kill 50% of flies (LC50) in 30 min was determined at 26 ± 1°C. Twelve EOs and 17 individual terpenes were assayed against M. domestica, showing LC50 values ranging from 3.9 to 85.2 and from 3.3 to 100 mg/dm3, respectively. EO from Citrus sinensis was the most potent insecticide (LC50 = 3.9 mg/dm3), followed by EOs from C. aurantium (LC50 = 4.8 mg/dm3) and Eucalyptus cinerea (LC50 = 5.5 mg/dm3). According to GC/MS analysis, limonene (92.47%), linalool (1.43%), and β-myrcene (0.88%) were the principal components of C. sinensis EO. Limonene was also the principal constitu