Biocontrol of mosquito vectors through herbal-derived silver nanoparticles: prospects and challenges

Abstract

Mosquitoes spread several life-threatening diseases such as malaria, filaria, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile fever, chikungunya, and yellow fever and are associated with millions of deaths every year across the world. However, insecticides of synthetic origin are conventionally used for controlling various vector-borne diseases but they have various associated drawbacks like impact on non-targeted species, negative effects on the environment, and development of resistance in vector species by alteration of the target site. Plant extracts, phytochemicals, and their nanoformulations can serve as ovipositional attractants, insect growth regulators, larvicides, and repellents with least effects on the environment. Such plant-derived products exhibit broad-spectrum resistance against various mosquito species and are relatively cheaper, environmentally safer, biodegradable, easily accessible, and are non-toxic to non-targeted organisms. Therefore, in this review article, the current knowledge of phytochemical sources exhibiting larvicidal activity and their variations in response to solvents used for their extraction is underlined. Also, different methods such as physical, chemical, and biological for silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) synthesis, their mechanism of synthesis using plant extract, their potent larvicidal activity, and the possible mechanism by which these particles kill mosquito larvae are discussed. In addition, constraints related to commercialization of nanoherbal products at government and academic or research level and barriers from laboratory experiments to field trial have also been discussed. This comprehensive information can be gainfully employed for the development of herbal larvicidal formulations and nanopesticides against insecticide-resistant vector species in the near future.

Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles mediated from Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb extract and its cytotoxicity, antimicrobial, mosquitocidal and photocatalytic activities

“…In particular, the SeNPs reacts with the cellular protein and there by hinders the enzymatic reactions among the larger mammals. This could be a possible toxic reaction in the invertebrates 26 .…”

Fabrication and characterization of noble crystalline silver nanoparticles from Pimenta dioica leave extract and analysis of chemical constituents for larvicidal applications

“…As the size of nanoparticles decreases, peaks in UV–Vis absorption spectra became broader ( Kong and Jang, 2006 ). Till date, several studies have been done on the formation of AgNPs employing extracts of plants, but the exact mechanism behind AgNPs formation is still unknown ( Kumar et al, 2020 ). As assumed in several studies, plant extract contains several compounds including phenolics, terpenoids, alkaloids, carbohydrates, proteins, flavonoids and nucleic acids that might be accountable for production of AgNPs employing plant extract ( Chung et al, 2016 ).…”

“…It has been reported that Aedes aegypti mosquito species showed resistance toward the temephos (larvicide) and pyrethroids (adulticides) insecticides in some regions of Malaysia ( Ranson et al, 2010 ) and in India ( Bharati and Saha, 2018 ). The resistance mechanism might be due to the high rate of insecticidal applications as a result of which metabolism and alteration of target sites of vector species occur ( Kumar et al, 2020 ). Insecticides of synthetic origin also have additional drawbacks like toxicity in non-target organisms, emerging deterrence in mosquito and not environmentally sustainable ( Benelli and Beier, 2017 ).…”

“…From the literature survey, it was observed that botanical extracts and their derived metabolites can be considered as a good source of larvicidal product and commercially feasible. Besides botanical blends have certain advantages such as environmentally sustainable, non-toxic to non-target organism, easily available, selective, biodegradable and less chance of resistance due to different modes of action and complex structure of molecules ( Kumar et al, 2020 ). Plant based nanoformulation have a group of compounds which have different mode of action and complex molecular structure thereby reduce the chance or leave a little chance of getting resistance in mosquitoes towards such compounds ( Ghosh et al, 2015 ).…”

Isolation of Volatile Compounds with Repellent Properties against Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) Using CPC Technology

“…Particularly for repellents, there is an effort to develop products less harmful for humans and the environment. Therefore, the research on natural products with strong bioactivity, such as essential oils, has been prioritized [ 14 ]. Previous studies employing native plants in Greece regarding the essential oils from Juniperus [ 15 ] and Greek Pinus [ 16 ] species have been investigated, showing repellent actions against the mosquito species Ae.…”