Insecticidal Effect against House dust mite Using Ethanol Extract of Theobroma cacao L.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study reviewed the insecticidal effect against house dust mite from ethanol extract of Theobroma cacao L..

Methods/Statistical analysis: The ethanolic extract of dried Theobroma cacao L. powder was used as the sample for the insecticidal experiment. The caffeine and monoterpene compounds, which are known to have an insecticidal effect among the components contained in Theobroma cacao L.., was analyzed using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

Findings: Ethanolic Theobroma cacao L. extract showed 100% of excellent insecticidal effect at the concentration of 1.0?/40? and 0.5?/40?, and showed 97.9% of good insecticidal effect even at the concentration of 0.25?/40?. By the results, it found that ethanolic Theobroma cacao L. extract has an insecticidal activity against house dust mite. By using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, the caffeine and monoterpene compounds, which are known to have an insecticidal effect among the components contained in Theobroma cacao L.., was identified.

Improvements/Applications: Through this study, it is thought that cacao extracts containing caffeine and monoterpene compounds having insecticidal effects can be used as natural insecticides.