The molluscicidal evaluation of
Euphorbia splendens
var.
hislopii (Crown of thorns) against
Lymnaea columella
snails, intermediate host of
Fasciola hepatica
, in irrigation ditches of the Pisciculture Station at Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, was studied under limited field conditions. An aqueous solution of the latex at 5 mg/l was tested in two irrigation ditches (experimental and control ditches), after initial sampling of the snail population present. Twenty-four hours after application of the product, it was verified that 97.4% of free
L. columella snails and 100% of snails of the same species captive in cages and used as sentinels at three points equidistant from the application site in the experimental ditch, died. For
Biomphalaria tenagophila
and
Melanoides tuberculata
snails, present in the experimental ditch, the mortality was 100%, for the species
Pomacea
spp. the mortality was 40%. No mortality was verified in the free mollusks, or in the sentinels in the ditch used as control.
E. splendens var.
hislopii latex is thus an efficient natural molluscicide, which may be used as an alternative control agent against
L. columella.
