Formulation and Evaluation of a Herbal Mosquito Repellent

Abstract

Mosquito bites can give an unpleasant feeling and are attracted to human blood containing protein to develop their eggs, biting human to another human, thereby transmitting the vector disease to human. Many species of mosquitoes are vectors of several disease causing pathogens such as dengue, zika and yellow fever. Dengue fever and yellow fever can cause severe human morbidity and mortality. Over one million people worldwide die from mosquito diseases every year because of the diseases causes by mosquitoes. The ideal method for controlling mosquitoes using larvicides and targeting the breeding places. In this present scenario synthetic compound DEET are effectively used as mosquito repellents whereas to its contradictory numbers of adverse effects were observed. DEET is a N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide, also called N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide. It has an unpleasant odour and strong penetration into the skin which can be harmful to the human. The uses of plant extract can reduce the uses of chemical in mosquito repellent. Marigold flowers contains many chemicals constituents such as cadinol, carotenoids, isorhamnetin, saponins, triterpenes, sesquiterpenoids, scopoletin, flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol, which has proved to have various biological properties along with mosquito repellent properties. In this research comparison studies of marigold flowers extract and synthetic chemical used as mosquito repellents was carried out.