Effectiveness of Herbal Essential Oils as Single and Combined Repellents against <i>Aedes aegypti</i>, <i>Anopheles dirus</i> and <i>Culex quinquefasciatus</i> (Diptera: Culicidae)
Nataya Sutthanont,
Monthatip Sudsawang,
Theerawit Phanpoowong,
Patchara Sriwichai,
Jiraporn Ruangsittichai,
Chawarat Rotejanaprasert,
Raweewan Srisawat
Affiliations
Nataya Sutthanont
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Monthatip Sudsawang
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Theerawit Phanpoowong
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Patchara Sriwichai
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Jiraporn Ruangsittichai
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Chawarat Rotejanaprasert
Department of Tropical Hygiene, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Raweewan Srisawat
Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Mosquito repellents reduce human-vector contact of vector-borne diseases. We compared the repellent activity of 10 undiluted essential oils (anise, basil, bergamot, coriander, patchouli, peppermint, petitgrain, rosemary, sage and vetiver) against A. aegypti, A. dirus and C. quinquefasciatus using the arm-in-cage method. Petitgrain oil was the most effective against A. aegypti (270 min). Peppermint oil was the most effective against A. dirus (180 min). Interestingly, all single oils had attributes of repellency against C. quinquefasciatus (ranged, 120–360 min). Moreover, we integrated their binary combinations of highly effective essential oils against A. aegypti and A. dirus to potentially increase the protection time. A 1:1 combination of petitgrain/basil, petitgrain/coriander, basil/coriander and basil/sage reduced the median complete-protection time of 150 min for A. aegypti; a combination of sage and patchouli oils prolonged the median complete-protection time of 270 min for A. dirus. Combining essential oils effect protection time from these two mosquito species.
