Mosquito-borne diseases are a significant global
health challenge, with a substantial burden in regions like India, where
environmental factors and urbanization exacerbate the risk of such diseases.
Among the myriad mosquito species, Aedes aegypti is
a prominent vector responsible for transmitting dengue fever, a disease with
serious health implications. Conventional mosquito control strategies,
including chemical insecticides, are fraught with issues such as resistance
development, environmental impact, and high costs. As a response, there is a
growing interest in exploring plant-based alternatives for mosquito management.
This study focuses on the larvicidal potential of Stachys byzantina,
a plant from the Lamiaceae family known for its medicinal properties. The study assessed the
effectiveness of methanol, ethanol, chloroform, acetone, and hexane extracts of
S. byzantina at multiple concentrations. The results revealed that the methanol
extract exhibited the highest larvicidal activity, achieving a mortality rate
of 85.71% at the highest concentration (400 ppm) and demonstrating the lowest
LC50 (124.63 ppm) and LC90 (408.52 ppm) values among the solvents tested.
Ethanol also showed considerable efficacy, though slightly less than methanol.
Chloroform and acetone extracts displayed moderate activity, while hexane was
the least effective. These findings suggest that S. byzantina possesses potent
bioactive compounds with significant larvicidal properties, highlighting its
potential as an effective and sustainable alternative to synthetic
insecticides.