Abstract:
The goal of our research is to develop a lower cost eco-friendly tick control method because acaricides
that are commonly used to control ticks are often toxic, harmful to the environment or too expensive
for resource-limited farmers. Acetone and ethanol extracts were prepared and their acaricidal activities
determined against the southern cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. A 1% solution of each of
the plant extracts was prepared for efficacy testing using the adapted Shaw Larval Immersion Test (SLIT).
The acetone stem extract from Cissus quadrangularis (Vitaceae) and the ethanol leaf and flower extract
from Calpurnia aurea (Fabaceae) had potent activity like that ofthe commercial acaricide, chlorfenvinphos
[corrected mortality (CM) = 100.0%]. The ethanol extracts ofthe stem of C. quadrangularis (CM = 98.9%) and
that of the roots, leaves and fruit of Senna italica subsp arachoides (CM = 96.7%) also had good acaricidal
activity. There is potential for the development of botanicals as natural acaricides against R. (B.) microplus
that can be used commercially to protect animals against tick infestation. Further studies to isolate the
acaricidal active compounds and to determine the environmental fate, species toxicity and skin toxicity
of these plants species are, however, required before they can be considered as a treatment against ticks.
