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<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Indiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides to eradicate mosquitoes has caused physiological resistance. Plants provide a reservoir of biochemical compounds; among these compounds some have inhibitory effect on mosquitoes. In the present study the larvicidal, adulticidal and genotoxic activity of essential oil of <it>Psoralea corylifolia</it> Linn. against <it>Culex quinquefasciatus</it> Say was explored.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Essential oil was isolated from the seeds of <it>P. corylifolia</it> Linn. Larvicidal and adulticidal bioassay of <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus</it> was carried out by WHO method. Genotoxic activity of samples was determined by comet assay. Identification of different compounds was carried out by gas chromatography- mass spectrometry analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of essential oil were 63.38±6.30 and 99.02±16.63 ppm, respectively against <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus</it> larvae. The LD₅₀ and LD₉₀ values were 0.057±0.007 and 0.109±0.014 mg/cm² respectively against adult Cx<it>. quinquefasciatus,</it>. Genotoxicity of adults was determined at 0.034 and 0.069 mg/cm². The mean comet tail length was 6.2548±0.754 μm and 8.47±0.931 μm and the respective DNA damage was significant i.e. 6.713% and 8.864% in comparison to controls. GCMS analysis of essential oil revealed 20 compounds. The major eight compounds were caryophyllene oxide (40.79%), phenol,4-(3,7-dimethyl-3-ethenylocta-1,6-dienyl) (20.78%), caryophyllene (17.84%), α-humulene (2.15%), (+)- aromadendrene (1.57%), naphthalene, 1,2,3,4-tetra hydro-1,6-dimethyle-4-(1-methyl)-, (1S-cis) (1.53%), trans- caryophyllene (0.75%), and methyl hexadecanoate (0.67%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Essential oil obtained from the seeds of <it>P. corylifolia</it> showed potent toxicity against larvae and adult <it>Cx. quinquefasciatus</it>. The present work revealed that the essential oil of <it>P. corylifolia</it> could be used as environmentally sound larvicidal and adulticidal agent for mosquito control.</p>