Acaricidal effect and chemical composition of essential oils extracted from Cuminum cyminum, Pimenta dioica and Ocimum basilicum against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-010-2069-6
• Publication Date: 2010-09-23T07:32:02Z
• Authors: Moises Martinez-V...; Gustavo Adolfo Ca...; Rodrigo Rosario-Cruz; Jose Miguel Flore...; Julisa Lopez-Ramirez; Rodolfo Hernandez...; Eugenia del Carme...
• Keywords: Pimenta; Cuminum; Ixodidae; Cattle Diseases; 04 agricultural and veterinary sciences; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Tick Infestations; 3. Good health; 0403 veterinary science; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Larva; Ocimum basilicum; Oils, Volatile; Animals; Plant Oils; Cattle; Oils; Acaricides

Acaricidal activity of essential oils extracted from cumin seeds (Cuminum cyminum), allspice berries (Pimenta dioica) and basil leaves (Ocimum basilicum) were tested on 10-day-old Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus tick larvae using the LPT. Two-fold dilutions of the three essential oils were tested from a starting dilution of 20% down to 1.25%. Results showed a high toxicological effect for cumin, producing 100% mortality in all tested concentrations on R. microplus larvae. Similarly, allspice essential oil produced 100% mortality at all concentrations with the exception of a dramatic decrease at 1.25% concentration. Conversely, basil essential oil was not shown to be toxic against R. microplus larvae. The most common compounds detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were as follows: cumin: cuminaldehyde (22.03%), γ-terpinene (15.69%) and 2-caren-10-al (12.89%); allspice: methyl eugenol (62.7%) and eugenol (8.3%); basil: linalool (30.61%) and estragole (20.04%). Results clearly indicate that C. cyminum and P. dioica essential oils can be used as an effective alternative for R. microplus tick control, and there is a high probability they can be used for other ticks affecting cattle in Mexico and throughout the world, thereby reducing the necessity for traditional and unfriendly synthetic acaricides.