Abstract:
Calpurnia aurea extracts are used in southern Ethiopia to protect stock against ticks. Acetone, hexane and water leaf extracts of C. aurea collected in southern Ethiopia were tested for repellent/attractant and acaricidal properties on unfed adult Rhipicephalus pulchellus ticks. In contrast to many other plant species evaluated, C. aurea extracts did not have repellent properties, but rather had a slight attractant capacity. With 20% and 10% acetone extracts, all ticks were either killed or their mobility severely compromised after 1 μl of extract was topically applied on the abdomen. At a 5% concentration, 85% of ticks were still affected. A 10% aqueous solution also had a marked effect. The results prove the efficacy of the traditional use of this extract and may lead to a product that can be used commercially to protect animals against tick infestation, under subsistence as well as industrialized conditions.
