Natural mosquito repellents: from coconut oil to basil oil

Repellents are one of the main tools to reduce the impact of insects that bite humans and animals. Among the commercial products, the best known contain N,N-Diethyl-meta -toluamide or DEET, a compound that is applied to the skin or clothing.

DEET is popular for its effectiveness and its long-lasting effect (up to 10 hours). It started as an agricultural pesticide and was later modified for use by the US military during World War II.

As a 2018 study shared by the journal Nature explains, itstoxicity to humans, particularly to children and pregnant women (symptoms are irritation, redness, rash, and inflammation), makes some people Look for friendlier options.

Natural Bug Repellent Options: Coconut Oil

Dr. Zhu, Cermak, Kenar and others studied fatty acids derived from coconut oil, which work against a wide variety of blood-sucking arthropods: flies, ticks, bedbugs and mosquitoes.

During laboratory tests, these fatty acids, of which lauric acid is the highest proportion, repelled flies and bedbugs for two weeks after application, and ticks for one week, more than DEET . A compound of 25% coconut oil fatty acids repelled the Aedes aegypti mosquito with an efficiency of 93%. Aedes can transmit dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika fever.

Citronella oil

This plant is native to Asia, but has become naturalized in the Americas and Africa. Its effect is short-lived, from two to four hours, because it evaporates quickly.

Blue eucalyptus oil

It is an essential oil that is extracted from the blue eucalyptus tree. A mixture of 32% blue eucalyptus oil provides protection of more than 95% for three hours.

The repellent power of basil

Benzine or acetone extract of basil has a high repellency, almost similar to that of DEET, although for less time. Slightly less effective are extracts from the plant known as licorice, which grows in Asia, Europe, and North Africa.

Both have been tested against the Culex pipiens mosquito, the most common mosquito in the northern United States and a vector of diseases such as St. Louis encephalitis and West Nile virus.