African Journal of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1996-0816
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJPP
  • Start Year: 2007
  • Published Articles: 2284

Full Length Research Paper

Comparative mosquito repellent efficacy of alcoholic extracts and essential oils of different plants against Anopheles Stephensi

Mohammad Barat Shooshtari1, Hamed Haddad Kashani2, Siamak Heidari3 and Ruhollah Ghalandari4*
1Department of Plant Breeding, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran. 2Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, 3Department of Biology, Science faculty, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. 4Biotechnology Research Center, Science and Technology Institute, Tehran, Iran.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 06 December 2012
  •  Published: 15 February 2013

Abstract

Mosquitoes control and personal protection from mosquito's bites is one of the serious ways for preventing of contagious diseases distribution. Mosquitoes in addition to the localsymptoms (itching, redness and irritation) can cause transmission of fatal and dangerous disease especially in tropical areas. In recent years, interest in plant-based products has been revived because of the development of resistance, cross-resistance and possible toxicity hazards associated with synthetic insecticides and their rising cost. Various plant-based products as herbal repellents are safe and biodegradable alternatives to synthetic chemicals for use against mosquitoes. In the present study, essential oils and extracts of six plants "Melissa officinalisRosmarinus officinalisLavandula officinalisCitrus limonumEucalyptus globulus and Ocimum basilicum" were evaluated compared against mosquitoes of Anopheles Stephensi. Finally, repellant properties of essential oils and extracts as experimental groups and of N, N-diethyl 3 - methylbenzamide (DEET) as a positive control group were compared.We used Duncan's multiple range tests to determine the significant differences at 1% level between the experimental group and the control group. Results of statistical analysis showedsignificant differences between the extracts and essential oils. Essential oils indicated moreeffectiveness rather than extracts.

 

Key words: Malaria, Anopheles stephensi, insect repellent, essential oil, plant extract.