Chemical composition and acaricidal activity of essential oil from Lippia sidoides on larvae of Dermacentor nitens (Acari: Ixodidae) and larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

The aim of this work was to identify the compounds and to investigate the acaricidal activity of the essential oil from the leaves of Lippia sidoides on Rhipicephalus microplus and Dermacentor nitens. The oil was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC/FID) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. In total, 15 compounds comprising 99.97 % of the total peak area were identified. The main constituent of the essential oil was thymol (67.60 %). The acaricidal activity was assessed by the modified larval packet test, with oil concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0 µl/ml, and by the female immersion test with concentrations of 10.0, 20.0, 40.0, 60.0, and 80.0 µl/ml. The mortality of the R. microplus and D. nitens larvae was greater than 95 % starting at concentrations of 10.0 and 20.0 µl/ml, respectively. In the test with the engorged females, the L. sidoides essential oil starting at a concentration of 40.0 µl/ml caused a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the values of the egg mass weight and egg production index. The viability of the eggs was affected in all the treated groups, with significantly lower hatching rates (p < 0.05) in relation to the control group. The control percentages at concentrations of 10.0, 20.0, and 30.0 µl/ml were 54, 57, and 72 %, and reached 100 % at the highest two concentrations (60.0 and 80.0 µl/ml). Therefore, it can be concluded that the essential oil from the leaves of L. sidoides has acaricidal activity on R. microplus and D. nitens.

Evaluation of the combined effect of thymol, carvacrol and (E)-cinnamaldehyde on Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae) and Dermacentor nitens (Acari: Ixodidae) larvae.

This study aimed at assessing the combined effect of thymol, carvacrol and (E)-cinnamaldehyde on Amblyomma sculptum and Dermacentor nitens larvae. The effects resulting from treatments were evaluated by means of the modified larval packet test. In order to determine the LC50, components of essential oils, the monoterpenes thymol, carvacrol and phenylpropanoid (E)-cinnamaldehyde were individually tested at different concentrations. After determining the LC50, each essential oil component was separately evaluated and then combined with another substance at a 1:1 proportion at the LC50 concentration and at 1/2 and 1/4 of the LC50. For A. sculptum, the lowest LC50 value was obtained for (E)-cinnamaldehyde (1.40 mg/ml), followed by thymol (2.04 mg/ml) and carvacrol (3.49 mg/ml). The same order of effectiveness was observed for D. nitens, with values of 1.68, 2.17 and 3.33 mg/ml, respectively. In the evaluation of component associations of essential oils against A. sculptum larvae, only the combinations between carvacrol and thymol (LC50) and carvacrol and (E)-cinnamaldehyde (1/4 LC50) presented a moderate synergetic effect. In turn, for D. nitens larvae, the combinations between thymol and carvacrol (LC50 and 1/2 LC50) presented a synergetic effect, while the others presented an additive or antagonistic effect. Therefore, it can be concluded that the combination of thymol and carvacrol (LC50) has a moderate synergetic effect against A. sculptum larvae, while thymol, combined with carvacrol (LC50 and 1/2 LC50), has a synergetic effect against D. nitens larvae.