PLANT-BASED MOSQUITO REPELLENT PRODUCTS: A REVIEW FOR COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE

Abstract

Mosquitoes are among the most important vectors of infectious diseases affecting humans, including malaria, lymphatic filariasis, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika virus disease. Preventing mosquito from human contact is the most important component of personal protection and integrated vector management. Although synthetic repellents such as N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), picaridin and IR3535 are widely used, interest in plant-based repellents has increased because of their biological activity, renewable origin and potential for local production. Plant-derived repellents are obtained mainly from essential oils, fixed oils, extracts and purified phytochemicals. Important botanical sources include Cymbopogon spp. (citronella and lemongrass), Azadirachta indica (neem), Ocimum spp. (basil), Eucalyptus spp., Syzygium aromaticum (clove), Mentha spp., Lantana camara, Carapa guianensis and several other aromatic plants. A recent systematic review of studies published from 2020–2024 reported high repellency for several essential oils, although the authors emphasized that much of the evidence remains laboratory-based and that field validation is needed. Plant-based mosquito repellents have considerable potential as complementary personal-protection products, particularly where locally available botanical resources can be developed into affordable formulations. However, they should be considered as one component of integrated mosquito management rather than as a replacement for established vector-control interventions.