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10-Minute Paper

Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology

PBT: Toxicology

Cajeput oil terpenes reduce fecundity and disrupt mosquito development

Sunday, November 5, 2023
1:42 PM – 1:54 PM ET
Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, Maryland 3-4
In-Person

    Presenting Author(s)

  • EJ

    Ellis Johnson

    Graduate Research Assistant
    University of Nebraska
    Lincoln, Nebraska

    • Co-Author(s)

  • TA

    Troy Anderson

    Associate Professor
    University of Nebraska
    Lincoln, Nebraska

Mosquito-borne diseases are a global health challenge. While insecticides are highly effective interventions for reducing mosquito populations, resistance continues to compromise current modes of action leading to product failures for preventing community disease transmission. Phytochemistries, such as plant essential oils, have been demonstrated as alterative chemical interventions for mosquito population reduction. Furthermore, plant essential oils are often complex compositions of chemical constituents that can elicit multiple biological responses compared to single mode of action active ingredients. This study aimed to determine the bioactivity of terpenes identified from cajeput oil (Melaleuca cajuputi) to pyrethroid-susceptible (Rockefeller (ROCK) strain) and -resistant (Puerto Rico (PR) strain) Aedes aegypti. Here, we report the activity of cajeput oil terpenes on mosquito development, fecundity, and fitness of mosquitoes. Furthermore, we demonstrate the spatial and contact repellency of mosquitoes to cajeput oil terpenes and correlate the repellent activities to increased antennal responses as recorded via electroantennography. These data serve as a pre-requisite for the development of cajeput oil terpenes as an alternative chemical intervention(s) to mitigate the burden of mosquito-borne diseases via population reduction of and personal bite protection from mosquitoes.