Preliminary Assessment of the Molluscicidal Potency of Crude Seed Oil Extract of<i> Azadirachta indica, Acacia albida</i> and <i>Balanite aegyptiaca Plants on <i>Lymnae natalensis</i> (snails)

Abstract

The best way to prevent Fascioliasis is through the reduction in population of the Lymnaeid snail intermediary host. Plant based molluscides had over the years shown remarkable promises. Presented here are a series of experiments evaluating the potency of crude seed oil extracts of Azadirachta indica, Acacia albida and Balanite aegyptiaca against Lymnae natalensis, an intermediary host of Fasciola gigantica collected from Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Northeastern Nigeria. The results indicated that, molluscicidal potency of seed oils of A. indica, A. albida and B. aegyptiaca were concentration dependent. Mortality rate increases with corresponding increase in concentration of the extracts. Comparatively, seed oil extracts of B. aegyptiaca showed higher molluscicidal tendencies, followed by A. indica and lower with A. albida. The results of the LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of different seed oils on Lymnae natalensis varied accordingly. All the three plant species seed oils tested showed various level of molluscicidal potency against Lymnae natalensis after 24 hours of exposure. However, highest molluscicidal potency was found in A. indica with LC₅₀ values of 6.328 and LC₉₀ values of 7.925 while a relatively low molluscicidal potency was observed in A. albida and B. aegyptiaca with similar LC₅₀ values of 14.348 and LC₉₀ values of 17.475 respectively. Results obtained suggest that, all the three plant species seed oils possessed molluscicidal potency with significant difference in LC₅₀ and LC₉₀. Comparative assessment and field trials for seed oil extracts of these abundant plant species were recommended.

Keywords: Potency, Molluscicidal, Crude, Seeds, Oil, Extracts.