The Article Digest

Plant proteins as natural, biodegradable, low cost larvicides against mosquitoes

Kirar, Manisha ; Sehrawat, Neelam

Abstract

Vectors spread infectious and deadly diseases among human beings and animals. The best-known vector of many infectious diseases is mosquito. Some other vectors are flies, ticks, fleas, aquatic snails and triatomine bugs. Mosquitoes are the major group of arthropods which causes millions of deaths every year. Mosquitoes breed in the water and the larval stage is attractive target for botanical insecticides to deal with them in their habitat. Plant contains many phytochemicals which act as mosquito repellents, larvicidal agents, insect growth regulators and transmission blocking sources. There are many reports available showing larvicidal activities of plant crude extracts and some compounds isolated from crude extracts. But there is very little information available about plant proteins as larvicides. The present study shade light on mosquito larvicidal role of crude proteins extracts, some toxic proteins (lectins, RIPs, proteinases inhibitors) derived from different plants and plant-based expression system for transmission blocking vaccine. This review may straighten out the complete investigations of the potency of anti-larvicidal properties of plant derived proteins and these proteins could be targeted for drug formation, natural bio-insecticide and transmission blocking agents for the control of vector borne diseases.

Summary

This study highlights the potential of using plant proteins as a natural, biodegradable, and low-cost alternative to synthetic insecticides for controlling mosquitoes. The authors emphasize that mosquitoes are a major group of arthropods that cause millions of deaths annually and are vectors for infectious diseases. To control mosquitoes, the authors suggest focusing on the larval stage, which is the most vulnerable stage and can be targeted by botanical insecticides.

The study reports that plants contain many phytochemicals with insecticidal properties, including mosquito repellents, larvicides, insect growth regulators, and transmission-blocking agents. While there is a wealth of information on the larvicidal activity of plant crude extracts and isolated compounds, the authors argue that there is limited information on the use of plant proteins as larvicides.

The authors review the current literature on the anti-larvicidal properties of plant-derived proteins and highlight the potential of crude protein extracts, toxic proteins such as lectins, ribonucleases, and proteinase inhibitors, and plant-based expression systems for developing transmission-blocking vaccines. The authors hope that this review will provide a comprehensive examination of the potency of plant-derived proteins as larvicides and encourage further research in this area.