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Abstract
Lavandula angustifolia is a well known herbal medicine with a variety of useful properties,
including its acaricidal effect. This experiment was carried out to study the bioacaricidal
activity of L. angustifolia essential oil (EO) against engorged Rhipicephalus (Boophilus)
annulatus (Acari; Ixodidae) females. For this purpose six serial concentrations (0.5,
1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0% w/v) of L. angustifolia EO were used. There was considerable
mortality in concentrations more than 4.0% although there were no differences between
6.0 and 8.0% in all measured criteria. The mortality rate 24 h after inoculation was
73.26 and 100% in groups treated with 4.0 and 8.0% EO, respectively. Lavender EO also
reduced tick egg weight in a concentration-dependent manner. The amount of eggs produced
varied from 0.12 g (at 0.5% EO) to 0.00 g (at 8.0% EO) but did not differ statistically
from the control. L. angustifolia EO caused 100% failure in egg laying at 6.0 and
8.0% whereas this value in the control group was zero. A positive correlation between
L. angustifolia EO concentration and tick control, assessed by relative mortality
rate and egg-laying weight, was observed by the EO LC/EC(50), which, when calculated
using the Probit test, was 2.76-fold higher than the control. Lavender is a promising
acaricidal against R. (B.) annulatus in vitro.
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