Introduction

Excoecaria agallocha L. (Euphorbiaceae) is a small mangrove tree that grows widely in the tidal forests
and swamps of the Sundarbans and other coastal areas of Bangladesh. This plant is also found in the
countries of temperate and tropical Asia, Australasia and South-western Pacific. This plant has
traditionally been used to treat sores and stings from marine creatures, and ulcers, as a purgative and an
emetic, and the smoke from the bark to treat leprosy. The bark oil has been reported to be effective
against rheumatism, leprosy and paralysis. However, the milky sap of this tree can cause temporary
blindness if it enters the eyes. The sap can also cause skin blisters and irritation. Clinical trials carried out
on this plant showed its potential as anti-HIV, anticancer, antibacterial and antiviral agent. Chemical
investigations have revealed that the plant contains diterpenoids and phorbole esters acting as anti-HIV
agent was isolated from the leaves and stems of Excoecaria agallocha collected in northwest Australia.
Mangrove plants of Exoecaria agallocha bark extract its derived products have shown a variety of
insecticidal properties.

Background of the study

A mangrove is a tree, shrub, palm or ground fern, generally exceeding one half meter in height that
normally grows above mean sea level in the intertidal zone of marine coastal environments and
estuarine margins. The term Mangroves, plants which exist in muddy, wet soil in tropical or
subtropical tidal waters. Excoecaria agallocha L. (Euphorbiaceae) is an ancient mangrove species.

The milky latex of Excoecaria agallocha is very poisonous and powerfully irritant, which is not unusual in
milky species of plant in the family Euphorbiaceae. Contact with skin causes irritation and rapid
blistering; slight contact with eyes can cause temporary blindness, hence the common names that refer
to blindness. Even the generic name is from the Latin for "blinder". The plant is well-protected by
chemical defenses; these include diterpenoids, triterpenoids and flavonoids

Mosquitoes transmit serious human diseases, causing millions of deaths every year. Use of synthetic
insecticides to control vector mosquitoes has caused physiological resistance and adverse
environmental effects in addition to high operational cost. Insecticides of botanical origin have been
reported as useful forcontrol of mosquitoes. The presentpaper discusses the larvicidal activity of
mangrove plants against some followed by Culex quinquefasciatus, Anopheles stephensi and Aedes
aegypti. In our resultsuggested that the highest mortality was found in methanol, aqueous, against the
larvae of Anopheles stephensi (LC50=12.69, 11.35, and LC90=38.33, 36.42), andagainst the larvae of C.
quinquefasciatus (LC50=10.45, 09.98 and LC90= 37.85, 35.67 ), and against the larvae of Aedes aegypti (
LC50 14.87, 12.67 and LC90 40.67,41.25), respectively. So this study show that the methanol and
aqueous extract of mangrove plant extracts of Exoecaria agallocha bark may be considered as a potent
source of a mosquito larvicidal agent. Interestingly, the methanolic extracts of E. agallocha showed
inhibition to developmental stages of female filarial worm Setaria digitata which is estimated by trypans
blue dye and tunel staining for evaluating the fragmentation of chromosomal DNA.
Statement of the problem