Larvicidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis of 10 South African plants that are traditionally used as mosquito repellents

•Olax dissitiflora and Clausena anisata extracts exhibited high larvicidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis.•Olax dissitiflora had an LC50 value of 25.24 μg/ml.•Clausena anisata had an LC50 value of 112.7 μg/ml.

Ethanol extracts of Aloe ferox, Atalaya alata, Balanites maughamii, Clausena anisata, Croton menyaarthii, Lippia javanica, Melia azedarach, Olax dissitiflora, Sclerocarya birrea and Trichilia emetica were evaluated for their larvicidal activity against Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes. Larval mortality was observed after 24 h of exposure. Larvicidal activity was only found in 5 plant extracts, namely, C. anisata, C. menyaarthii, L. javanica, O. dissitiflora and T. emetica. The bark extract of O. dissitiflora exhibited the highest larvicidal activity with LC50 value of 25.24 μg/ml. The results of the present study showed that the bark of O. dissitiflora may have the potential to be used as larvicides against An. arabiensis.