A comparative study of the biological activity of an aqueous extract of pomegranate peel and Lantana camara leaves as an eco- friendly larvicidal agent against Culex mosquitoes

Aisha Sulaiman Obaid; Sumaiah Ibrahim Hussein; Alaa Lateef Ali

doi:10.22034/ijab.v14i4.3009

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Aisha Sulaiman Obaid
aisha.s.o@ihcoedu.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Science (Ibn Al-Haitham), University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Sumaiah Ibrahim Hussein Department of Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
Alaa Lateef Ali Department of Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.

Vol. 14 No. 4 (2026): August

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August 25, 2026

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Mosquitoes pose a significant threat to public health, acting as vectors for deadly pathogens that infect both humans and animals. This study investigated the effectiveness of two aqueous extracts at concentrations of 0, 1, 1.5, and 2 g/L from pomegranate (Punica granatum) peels, as an agricultural residue, and Lantana camara leaves to control Culex mosquito larvae. The results show that both aqueous extracts are highly effective, low-cost, and eco-friendly against larvae, providing a suitable alternative to manufactured chemicals for controlling Culex mosquito larvae. These effects increase over time and at higher concentrations. The aqueous extract of pomegranate peel showed a greater effect after 72 hours than the L. camara leaf extract, compared with the control. Phytochemical screening identified alkaloids, coumarins, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and tannins in both plants as bioactive compounds responsible for the antiparasitic activity. In addition, Quinones were found only in pomegranate peel, and Steroids were found in L. camara leaves. GC-MS analysis revealed 30 compounds in pomegranate peel, most notably 4 major antiparasitic compounds, including Hexadecanoic acid (0.69%) and Acridine (0.61%). In contrast, L. camara leaves contained 35 compounds, including 6 highly potent antiparasitic molecules, most notably 3-Allyl-6-methoxyphenol (4.09%) and 9,12-Octadecadenoic acid (2.26%). These compounds affected the larvae and caused their mortality.

Obaid, A. S., Hussein, S. I., & Ali , A. L. (2026). A comparative study of the biological activity of an aqueous extract of pomegranate peel and Lantana camara leaves as an eco- friendly larvicidal agent against Culex mosquitoes. International Journal of Aquatic Biology, 14(4), 163–171. https://doi.org/10.22034/ijab.v14i4.3009

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