Cannabis leaf extract can be used to kill mosquito larvae that have become resistant to insecticides, according to a team of researchers.
- While most current pest control strategies rely on the use of chemical insecticides, their intensive use has led to the emergence of resistant populations. This is where hemp comes in.
- Hemp leaf extract showed significant toxicity against the larvae of two mosquito strains, one resistant to conventional insecticides and the other not. In less than 48 hours, CBD caused the death of all exposed larvae.
- How CBD kills mosquitoes is not yet fully understood. It could be, according to the researchers, that the molecule interferes with the metabolism of the larvae, thus preventing their development.
Could cannabis, already well known for its medicinal uses, become a surprise ally in the fight against mosquitoes, in the same way as lemongrass or lavender? A new study, published in the journal Insectsreveals that hemp leaf extract, rich in cannabidiol (CBD), is particularly effective in eliminating mosquito larvae. The plant could constitute a promising new avenue for stopping the proliferation of insects and the diseases they transmit.
Hemp as a natural alternative to chemical insecticides
Mosquitoes are among the most dangerous animals in the world due to their ability to spread serious diseases, such as dengue fever, malaria or the Zika virus, according to a statement published on Technology Networks. While most current pest control strategies rely on the use of chemical insecticides, their intensive use has led to the emergence of resistant populations. This is where hemp comes in.
According to researchers at Ohio State University in the United States, hemp leaf extract showed significant toxicity against the larvae of two strains of mosquitoes, one resistant to conventional insecticides. and the other no. In less than 48 hours, CBD caused the death of all exposed larvae, proving its effectiveness against even the most resistant mosquitoes. The study highlights that this solution could prove valuable because it targets insects at a vulnerable stage in their life cycle, before they become flying, disease-carrying adults.
Why is CBD effective against mosquitoes?
Cannabidiol is a molecule extracted from hemp, a plant related to cannabis. Unlike THC, the main psychoactive component of marijuana, CBD does not cause any euphoric effects and is widely used for its therapeutic properties, such as the treatment of anxiety or pain. In this new research, scientists ground dried hemp leaves to extract CBD, which they then administered to mosquito larvae. Result ? High mortality even with low extract concentrations.
The researchers were also surprised by the low quantity of CBD necessary to achieve significant mortality rates, especially when they compared these results to other natural extracts tested in the laboratory. However, how CBD kills mosquitoes is not yet fully understood. It could be, according to them, that the molecule interferes with the metabolism of the larvae, thus preventing their development.
Further studies need to be done to examine the impact of CBD on non-target organisms, such as bees or other pollinating insects. The objective is to avoid disturbing them by introducing substances potentially harmful to their environment.
