Repellent Activities of Ocimum basilicum , Azadirachta indica and Eucalyptus citriodora Extracts on Rabbit Skin against Aedes aegypti
Date
2013Author
Koech, Peter Kiplang’at
Mwangi, Richard W
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Vector borne diseases are the major public health problems in developing countries particularly in
tropics. Essential oils from plants can provide the safe and biodegradable alternatives to synthetic
repellents, but plant-based repellent formulations available in the market are not effective. The
purpose of the study was to investigate mos
quito repellent activities of Sweet Basil (
Ocimum
basilicum
), Neem (
Azadirachta indica
) and Lemon Eucalyptus (
Eucalyptus citriodora)
extracts.
Different concentrations of the extracts were tested for mosquito repellency on rabbit skin as the host
of
Aedes aegypti
. Laboratory reared starved females were used for the tests and data collection was
done by observational parameters based on frequency of mosquito landing and blood engorgement.
Synergised Crude oleoresin extract of Pyrethrum and Ballet mosquito repellent® were included as
positive test controls and Vaseline pure petroleu
m jelly® as a negative test control. The results
showed that synergised Pyrethrum oleoresin showed complete protection at 0.1% as compared to
Lemon
Eucalyptus oil and Sweet Basil
oil at
2% and 3% respectively(p<0.05).
Neem oil and Ballet
did not provide complete protection. The mean percent repellency of 5% Neem oil was 84.21 and
that of Ballet was 66.84 (p<0.05). Sweet basil and Lemon Eucalyptus oils can be alternative to
Pyrethrum as natural mosquito
repellents from plant origin.
Publisher
University of Nairobi