Abstract:
Like other countries in North Africa, the Middle East, and South America,
Algeria is severely affected by scorpion envenomations, especially in desert regions.
To combat this danger, residents use chemical pesticides that harm the environment.
This study aims to develop biopesticides from plant extracts for biological control of
scorpions. It focuses on the effectiveness of Peganum harmala and Euphorbia
guyoniana extracts against Androctonus australis.
The compounds were extracted using cold maceration, and a chemical test was
conducted to identify the main components of each plant. Scorpions were exposed to
different concentrations of the extracts (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 mg/ml) through spraying,
and their behavior was observed over 72 hours. The results showed that Euphorbia
guyoniana contained a significant chemical diversity, while Peganum harmala caused
the first deaths after 24 hours, with a maximum mortality rate of 60% at a
concentration of 30 mg/ml.
Scorpion mortality rates varied based on the concentrations of the extracts and
the exposure time, without reaching 100%. Toxicity tests revealed that Peganum
harmala was more effective after 72 hours, with lower lethal doses compared to
Euphorbia guyoniana. The analyses also demonstrated that the extracts of these two
plants are promising for biological control of scorpions, with inhibition rates ranging
from 20% to 100% after 72 hours of exposure.
The study revealed that plant extracts from Peganum harmala and Euphorbia
guyoniana are highly effective and essential for the biological control of scorpions.
