%0 Journal Article
%T <i>In vitro</i> anti-tick properties of the essential oil of <i>Tagetes minuta</i> L. (Asteraceae) on <i>Hyalomma rufipes</i> (Acari: Ixodidae)
%A Felix Nchu
%A Solomon R. Magano
%A Jacobus N. Eloff
%J Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research
%D 2012
%I AOSIS OpenJournals
%R 10.4102/ojvr.v79i1.358
%X In this study we examined the anti-tick properties of the essential oil of Tagetes minuta L. (Asteraceae: Asterales) against Hyalomma rufipes ticks. We obtained the essential oil of T. minuta by hydro-distillation of a combination of fresh flowers, leaves and soft stems, and analysed these by using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-linked mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The oil had a high percentage of monoterpenes and the major compounds identified were cis-ocimene (28.5%), beta-ocimene (16.83%) and 3-methyl-2-(2-methyl-2-butenyl)-furan (11.94%). Hyalomma rufipes adults displayed a significant (P < 0.05) dose repellent response to the essential oil of T. minuta. Probit analysis indicated a repellent EC50 of T. minuta essential oil for male ticks to be 0.072 mL/mL (CI 0.053 mL/mL to 0.086 mL/mL) and 0.070 mL/mL (CI 0.052 mL/mL to 0.084 mL/mL) for female ticks. There were no significant differences in repellent responses between male and female ticks. The oil also significantly (P < 0.05) delayed moulting of 60% of H. rufipes engorged nymphs. These results suggest that T. minuta may be a potential source of anti-tick agents. How to cite this article: Nchu, F., Magano, S.R. & Eloff, J.N., 2012, ¡®In vitro anti-tick properties of the essential oil of Tagetes minuta L. (Asteraceae) on Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae)¡¯, Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 79(1), Art. #358, 5 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ojvr.v79i1.358
%K essential oils
%K growth inhibition bioassay
%K Hyalomma rufipes
%K repellency bioassay
%K Tagetes minuta
%K tick control
%U http://www.ojvr.org/index.php/ojvr/article/view/358