Perspectives of using Euphorbia splendens as a molluscicide in schistosomiasis control programs

A total of 1,426 species of plants had been tested in order to find out a vegetal-derived molluscicide against the vectors of Schistosoma mansoni. Euphorbia splendens is one of the most promising molluscicides. In this article we briefly present the main aspects that have to be considered to use this plant as a molluscicide, which include some agricultural aspects and operational methods for application. This can be done by the extraction of the active principles (millaminas) present in the latex or in the raw juice obtained through total maceration of plants. The culture of E. splendens, which spreads out by vegetative sprouts, showed an annual average growth of 30 cm. After 1.5 years the average productivity of crude latex with a DL90 of 12 ppm concentration, was 1 liter by 8m2 by cultivated area. This amount is enough to treat a volume of water of 97,200 liters. A comparative analysis between the cost of snail control through synthetic molluscicides was carried out based upon the data presented by Jobim (1979) for six controlling methods in several countries, and some cost aspects for E. splendens. This analysis was done considering a geographic parameter expressed by the index cubic meters of treated habitat per square kilometer, from which we can obtain an estimate dimension of the geographic area to be cultivated with E. splendens necessary to treat the same volume of water treated by synthetic molluscicides.