Natural Sources Mosquito Repellents.

A Community Health

How to Control Mosquito

Part 6: Natural source of Mosquito Repellents.

Thousands of plants have been tested as potential sources of insect repellents. None of the plant-derived chemicals tested to date demonstrate the broad effectiveness and duration of DEET, but a few show repellent activity. Plants whose essential oils have been reported to have repellent activity include citronella, cedar, verbena, pennyroyal, geranium, lavender, pine, cajuput, cinnamon, rosemary, basil, thyme, allspice, garlic, and peppermint. Unlike synthetic insect repellents, plant-derived repellents have been relatively poorly studied. When tested, most of these essential oils tended to give short-lasting protection, usually less than 2 hours. Readily available plant-derived insect repellents are listed in.
On the Contrary: if someone consumes bananas, the mosquitoes like to bite. Stop eating bananas for the summer and the mosquitoes will be much less interested.

Mosquito Repellents from natural sources :
There are many naturally occurring pesticides / insecticides which can be used as a mosquito repellent, and some of these are:
Achillea alpina, alpha-terpinene, carvacol, Castor Oil, Catnip Oil, Cedar Oil, Celery Extract, Citronella Oil, Clove Oil, Eucalyptus Oil (Cineole), Cajuput Oil (Cineole), Fenel Oil, Garlic, Leongrass Oil, Geranium Oil, Lemon eucalyptus (p-methane-3,8-diol), Nee Oil, Peppermint Oil, Pennyroyal, Rosemary, Tea Tree Oil, Thyme.

Plant derived Repellents :

Lemon Eucalyptus Oil:
Lemon Eucalyptus Oil contains p-menthane, 3,8-diol / PMD, was the best non-DEET mosquito repellent, although the people criticized its odor. Lemon eucalyptus plant extract is registered in Canada for use as an insect repellent. It may protect from mosquitoes’ bites for up to two hours, but is not recommended for use on children under the age of three. Lemon Eucalyptus Oil / PMD-based repellents show low toxicity, but care must be taken to keep them out of the eyes because PMD can cause significant eye irritation.
Comparison : Lemon Eucalyptus Repellent provided 120.1 minutes of mosquito protection, more than a repellent with a low concentration of the chemical DEET, 4.75% DEET provided 88.4 minutes of protection and 23.8% DEET provided 301.5 minutes of protection.

Citronella :
Citronella is registered with the EPA (The United States Environment Protection Agency) as an insect repellent since 1948, considers as a non toxic biopesticide, has been verified by research, including effectiveness in repelling Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito).
Citronella oil has a lemony scent and was originally extracted from the grass plant Cymbopogon nardus, originally extracted from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon, the oil is used extensively as a source of perfumery chemicals such as citronellal, citronellal and geraniol. These chemicals find extensive use in soap, perfumery, cosmetic and flavouring industries throughout the world.
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that citronella oil has little or no toxicity when used as a topical insect repellent, with no reports of adverse effects of concern over a 60 year period. Because some products are applied to human skin, EPA requires proper precautionary labeling to help assure safe use, because citronella may irritate skin and cause dermatitis in certain individuals. If used according to label instructions in the US, citronella is not expected to pose health risks to people, including children and other sensitive populations. The US Food & Drug Administration consider citronella oil as generally recognized as safe (GRAS).

Studies show that citronella can be an effective repellent, but it provides shorter complete protection time than most DEET-based products, to be continually effective, frequent reapplication of the repellent to the skin every 30-60 minutes should be done. Citronella oil also shows has strong antifungal properties, and research indicates that citronella oil is an effective repellent for body louse and head louse, Citronella may irritate skin and cause dermatitis in certain individuals. It should not be used on the skin of young children (under 3 years old).

Citronella oil is classified in trade into two chemotypes:
1. Ceylon type: obtained from Cymbopogon nardus Rendle, consists of citronellal (5-15%), geraniol (18-20%), limonene (9-11%), methyl isoeugenol (7-11%), citronellol (6-8%). In Europe, Ceylon type citronella oil is placed on the category 3 list, with some safety concern regarding methyl isoeugenol.
2. Java type: obtained from Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt, consists of citronellal (32-45%), geraniol (11-13%), limonene (1-4%), geranyl acetate (3-8%). The higher proportions of geraniol and citronellal in the Java type make it a better source for perfumery derivatives.

Note : Citronella oil from Cymbopogon species should not be confused with other similar lemony oils from Corymbia citriodora and Pelargonium citrosum.
1. Citronella soap is a product that started in the Bahamas and Belize. The soaps are made with olive oil for moisture and great lather, Aloe Vera to soothe the skin, and citronella oil to repel mosquitoes. For high intensity protection you can burn citronella incense. Mosquitoes avoid citronella and they hate the smoke.
2. Citronella essential oil (Java Citronella) is considered to be the highest quality citronella on the market. The best quality is steam distilled from the grass giving it a fresh, sweet woody aroma. It blends well with geranium, cedar wood and other citrus oils. It is 100 percent pure essential oil, no additives, no dilutants, no adulteration, just safe mosquito repellent.

Citronella Candles :
A well-known natural mosquito repellent, effective in protecting from mosquitoes’ bites at concentration of 3% citronella oil in candles, human beeings who are positioned near a citronella candles had 42.3% less bites, citronella candles shouldn't be used as a stand-alone repellent, they may help in combination with topical repellents.

Neem oil :
Neem oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the fruits and seeds of tropical Neem tree (Azadirachta indica), an evergreen tree which is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has been introduced to many other areas in the tropics.
Neem oil is generally light to dark brown, bitter and has a rather strong odor that is said to combine the odors of peanut and garlic. It comprises mainly triglycerides and large amounts of triterpenoid compounds, which are responsible for the bitter taste.
Neem oil also contains steroids: campesterol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and a triterpenoids of which Azadirachtin is the most well known, it has insecticidal properties, the Azadirachtin content of neem oil varies from 300 ppm to over 2500 ppm depending on the extraction technology and quality of the neem seeds crushed.

Geranium oil :
Mix: 20 drops Eucalyptus oil
20 drops Cedarwood oil
10 drops Tea Tree oil
10 drops Geranium oil
2 oz. Jojoba oil as carrier oil.
Apply to skin as needed avoiding the eye area.
Another product: Bite Blocker, available as a spray or lotion, contains the oils of Geranium oil, Soybean oil and Coconut oil, 30 minutes of complete protection from mosquito bites.

Fenel Oil :
An aerosol spray mosquito repellent containing 5% fennel oil was 84% effective after 90 minutes,
A repellent cream with 8% fennel oil was 70% effective after 90 minutes.

Thyme Oil :
Thyme oil contains carvacrol and alpha-terpinene, found to have significantly greater repellency than a commercial DEET repellent, but don't try to make a thyme oil repellent at home, because it is too irritating and strong-smelling to be used at effective concentrations of above 25%.

Clove oil :
Undiluted topical Clove oil is active against mosquitoes, but same like thyme oil, clove oil should not be applied undiluted to skin as a homemade repellent.

Soybean oil :
Soybean oil two per cent can keep human beings from mosquito bites from one to four hours, It has low toxicity, non-irritating. Consequently, it may also be considered as an alternative to DEET.

Garlic :
Another popular theory is that ingesting garlic can provide protection against mosquitoes.


Celery extract :
Celery extract actives against a wide range of mosquito species comparable to a 25% DEET formula, and Celery extract did not irritate the skin or cause a burning sensation

Catnip:
Catnip or Nepeta cataria is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family and grows wild in most parts of the United States, although it also is cultivated for commercial use. Catnip is native to Europe and was introduced to this country in the late 18th century. It is primarily known for the stimulating effect it has on cats, although some people use the leaves in tea, as a meat tenderizer and even as a folk treatment for fevers, colds, cramps and migraines.

Catnip contains Nepetalactone, a bicyclic terpenoid, isolated by steam distillation, Nepetalactone is the essential oil component in catnip that gives the plant its characteristic odor, repels mosquitoes 10 times more effectively than DEET (Diethyl-m-toluamide), Nepetalactone is the compound used in most commercial insect repellents. Catnip works against all types of mosquitoes, Nepetalactone is safe for people.
Why catnip repels mosquitoes is still a mystery, it might simply be acting as an irritant or the mosquitoes don’t like the smell.

Vitamin B-1:
Vitamin B1 is often taken to help repel mosquitoes, takes one 100 mg of Vitamin B-1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride) tablet a day. The odor of the tablet comes out through body skin, repels the mosquitoes.

Picaridine / Icaridin / Bayrepel :

Picaridine or hydroxyethyl isobutyl piperidine carboxylate is derives from Pepper, a synthetic chemical compound, picaridine is nearly odorless, does not cause skin irritation, it has been registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which means that the materials have been reviewed and approved for effectiveness and human safety, and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for mosquitoes that may carry the West Nile virus.

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