Molluscicidal activity of Manilkara subsericea (Mart.) dubard on Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818)

Schistosomiasis is promoted for species from Schistosoma genus affecting over 200 million people worldwide. Molluscicides are an efficient method to control this disease, being able to reduce intermediate host snail Biomphalaria glabrata number. In function of resistance cases using niclosamide, natural products are promisors to discover new drugs. Manilkara subsericea is endemic to Brazilian sandbanks of Rio de Janeiro State and wide ranges of biological activities. However, there is no studies evaluating its effects as molluscicidal agent. We tested crude extract from leaves of M. subsericea molluscicidal action, as well it ethyl-acetate fraction and isolated substances against B. glabrata. M. subsericea leaves crude extract and ethyl acetate fraction induced 80 ± 4.13% and 86.66 ± 4.59% mortality of adult snails at concentrations of 250 ppm after 96 h, and their LD50 values were 118.7 ± 1.62 and 23.41 ± 1.15 ppm respectively. Isolated substances from M. subsericea were also considered active. Quercetin, myricetin and ursolic acid, at concentration of 100 ppm (96 h), were able to induce mortality levels of 100%, 80% and 53.33%, respectively. Our results suggest that M. subsericea can be considered promising as a molluscicide agent.