The adulticidal activity of methanol extracts from three Malaysian plants namely Acorus calamus Linn., Litsea elliptica Blume and Piper aduncum Linn. against adult of Aedes aegypti (L.) were
studied. Standard WHO bioassay tests were used to evaluate the
effectiveness of these plant extracts. The hexane fraction from methanol
extract of Acorus calamus rhizome was the most effective, exhibiting
LC50 and LC90 values of 0.04 mgcm-2 and 0.09 mgcm -2
respectively. For L. elliptica, the methanol fraction also displayed good adulticidal
property with the LC50 and LC90 values of 0.11 mgcm-2
and 6.08 mgcm-2 respectively. It is found that hexane fraction of the P. aduncum crude
extract was the least effective among the three plants showing LC50 and
LC90 values of 0.20 mgcm -2 and 5.32 mgcm-2, respectively. However,
although A. calamus showed lowest LC values, the LT50 results indicated
that the methanol fraction of L. elliptica was most potent extract among the extracts tested.