To study the pediculocidal activity of Euphorbia helioscopia, Sapium sabiferum and Callistemon citrin against Pediculus humanus capitis.

Human head and clothing lice are wildly present infesting millions of school children every year. Insecticides such as DDT, lindane, malathion, carbaryl, permethrin and d-phenothrin has been used for decades. Recently, scientists take great interest in the use of plant extracts as a new control alternative to synthetic insecticides. In present study, antilice potential of three local plants, Euphorbia helioscopia, Sapium sabiferum and Callistemon citrinus against Pediculus humanus capitis was determine. Plant samples were collected from territory of Quaidi-Azam University, Islamabad. For determination of pediculocidal of these plants, 40 lice were placed in each petri dish having filter paper soaked in different concentrations (100ppm, 200ppm, 300ppm) of water and methanol extracts of leaves. In many choice experiment percent mortality of lice was calculated after 6, 12 and 24 hrs. Maximum mortality rate of E. helioscopia, S. sabiferum and C. citrinus was observed after 24 hours for all three plants in water solvent (9.67, 12.67, 14.67% and 6.34, 8.67, 12.00% and 0.00, 0.33, and 0.66% respectively) as well as in methanol solvent (13.67, 14.33 and 16.67%, 3.67, 6.00 and 1.93%, 0.34, 0.66 and 1.00% respectively). Among three solvent extracts tested, the maximum activity was observed in both water and methanolic extracts of E. helioscopia against P. humanus capitis.