Biological activity of Pouteria sapota leaf extract on post-embryonic development of blowfly Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1818) (Calliphoridae)

Chemical insecticides have been the main way to control synanthropic flies of medical and veterinary importance; however, residuals of these products have become a factor impacting on the environment, as well as the potential toxicological that they may cause damage to humans and domestic animals. Phytochemical screening carried out with the aqueous crude extract of Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn, Sapotaceae, leaves showed that coumarins, reducing sugars, flavonoids and cyanogenic glycosides were its most abundant metabolites. This study evaluated the activity of the crude aqueous extract of this plant on the post-embryonic development of Chrysomya putoria. Larvae treated with 5, 10 and 25% extract showed a decrease in the pupal period and in the newly-hatched larvae to adult period when compared to the control groups. Larvae from the 25% extract group were the lightest (45.8 mg) when compared with the control group (46.5 mg). The larval and newly-hatched larvae to adult stages were more sensitive to the leaf extract from P. sapota (5%) and the treated flies showed the low viability (47.5 and 45.5% respectively). The results demonstrated that topic treatment with P. sapota could alter C. putoria post embryonic development.