Background Synthetic insecticides face challenges, such as resistance, environmental damage, and harm to nontarget species, highlighting the need for alternative methods. Medicinal plants, along with their bioactive compounds, offer a promising solution. Objective This study investigated the efficacy of methanol extracts derived from traditionally used Ethiopian medicinal plants against Anopheles arabiensis and Aedes aegypti. Methods and Materials Methanol extracts (80%) of the crude plant extracts were tested on the larvae and eggs of both mosquito species at concentrations ranging from 250 to 2000 ppm. Larval mortality was recorded after 24 h of exposure, while egg hatchability was assessed after 72 h. Results Millettia ferruginea exhibited the highest larvicidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis (LC 50 = 461.7 ppm, LC 90 = 1746.8 ppm), achieving 90% inhibition of egg hatching at 2000 ppm. Momordica foetida resulted in 85% mortality in second‐instar larvae and 80% mortality in early fourth‐instar larvae of Anopheles arabiensis at 2000 ppm. Securidaca longepedunculata demonstrated 87% larval mortality and 92% egg hatching inhibition in Aedes aegypti at 2000 ppm. ANOVA result shows that mortality rates varied significantly across concentrations ( p < 0.05) Conclusion Millettia ferruginea , Momordica foetida , and Securidaca longepedunculata are promising botanical insecticides. Future studies should focus on isolating active compounds to ensure environmental safety and effectiveness. These findings highlight the potential of indigenous plants for insect management and underscore the importance of traditional knowledge in the development of novel insecticides.
Tesfaye et al. (2026) studied this question.