Synthesis of Natural Product Derivatives as Larvicides Against Aedes aegypti

Larvicides are pesticides that kill insects during their early life stages. Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762), Diptera: Culicidae, usually breed in reasonably clean water, such as reservoirs for human consumption; therefore, larvicides used in these environments must be tolerable by humans. Few larvicides are available to control Ae. aegypti spreading. Resistance to existing larvicides compels to constant replacement in a cycle to manage larvicide use. The final destination of larvicides and their degradation products is the environment, contaminating soil, turf, water, and vegetation in addition to affecting non-target species. Therefore, new larvicides must be carefully selected according to their toxicity profiles to mammals and the environment. Natural products have been shown to be effective against mosquito larvae and often show selectivity to the mosquito and safety to both mammals and the environment. Herein, we review new approaches to the synthesis of natural product derivatives as larvicides, with the goal to aid research on finding novel larvicidal molecules.

Automated summary

Larvicides are effective in controlling the spread of Ae. aegypti, but the issue of resistance to existing larvicides necessitates the search for new alternatives. The selection of new larvicides should consider their toxicity to humans, animals, and the environment. Derivatives of natural products show promise as they exhibit selectivity towards mosquitoes while being relatively safe for humans and the environment.