Effect of eucalyptus wood vinegar on reproductive performance of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks

Alternative treatments to control ticks are being increasingly investigated, including natural products to decrease parasitic resistance and environmental impact. The present study investigated the chemical profile of eucalyptus wood vinegar and evaluated its effect on the reproduction of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Eucalyptus wood vinegar (WV) was tested at several concentrations. For the experiment, 500 engorged females were collected from canine hosts. The female ticks were distributed by weight in groups of ten per WV concentration, with five replicates per treatment. For all tests, the ticks were immersed for 5 min in a solution with each WV concentration. The positive control was amitraz and negative was water. The major components of the WV's organic fraction were furfural and phenolic compounds. A significant decrease in egg hatching was observed in the WV concentration range from 65 to 1,000 mg mL(-1). When parameters such as the percentage of hatching, female weight, and egg mass were evaluated, the efficiency of the product was verified as being between 84.97% and 99.38% in the concentration range of 65 to 1,000 mg mL(-1), respectively. There is a real potential for using eucalyptus WV to control dog ticks since it negatively affects the reproductive cycle of the parasites.