Insecticidal activity of essential oil from Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsum

Abstract

Abstract Chamaecyparis formosensis is an endemic precious tree species grown in Taiwan. Based on the results obtained in our current study, the essential oil of C. formosensis wood possesses significant insecticidal activities. In an assay to assess mosquito larvicidal properties, the essential oil completely killed the larvae of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus at a dosage of 100 μg ml-1 in water. Concentrations of the essential oil at a dosage of 0.16 mg cm-3 in air resulted in 100% mortality of silverfish after 2 h. It was found that the extractives of C. formosensis possess multiple bioactivities against insects. There is great potential for the development of insecticides for domestic application to kill mosquito larvae and silverfish based on this raw material.