Effect of crude ethanol extracts from seven herbs on ant repellent

Abstract

This research aims to study the ant repellent effects of the crude ethanolic extracts from 7 herbs; Piper nigrum Linn., Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd, Ocimum basilicum L., Cymbopogon citratus Stapf, Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle, Citrus hystrix DC, and Stemona collinsae Craib. Whatman filter paper was dipped with each concentration of the crude ethanolic extracts (0.625 1.25 2.5 and 5 % w/v) and placing the bait on a treated filter paper. The experiments were conducted in the natural. The numbers of weaver ants were recorded at 0 - 30 minutes. From the results, the crude ethanolic extracts at 5% w/v of A. galanga was the most effective for repellent the ant, (repellent rate; %R = 94.72 ± 2.39) followed with C. citratus (%R = 89.45 ± 3.85), S. collinsae (%R = 82.92 ± 4.47), and P.nigrum (%R = 81.20 ± 5.92). The repellent rates of those crude ethanolic extracts were significantly difference from distilled water which use for the negative control (P < 0.05). The crude ethanolic extract of A. galanga at concentration 5% w/v was prepared as spray, cream, chalk and powder. At 30 minutes of the observation, the ethanolic extracts of A. galanga spray was the best ant repellent effect (%R = 100). The result from questionnaires reveals that a spray preparation was the more satisfaction for the using ant repellent products.