FORMULATION AND ASSESSMENT OF HERBAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT CONE

Aaron Ian Saldanha*, Ahmed Hafil, Amaresh, Abdullah, Dr. Jagadish V. Kamath

Nowadays, the majority of diseases or infections, like malaria, dengue, etc., are caused by the different types of mosquitoes, mainly female Anopheles mosquitoes. To prevent the infection or diseases caused by mosquitos, there are multiple synthetic pesticides available in the market. The various pesticides used as mosquito repellents containing hazardous chemicals cause various health problems in humans and other living creatures; the pesticides also cause environmental pollution. By considering these facts, we are here with mosquito repellent without hazardous chemicals known as HERBAL MOSQUITO REPELLENT. As the herbs are easily accessible in our society, it is very beneficial to use these holly herbs in mosquito repellent formulations. The herbs are the core substance in our formulations; there are different active constituents, such as alkaloids, fixed oils, essential oils, resins, flavonoids, phenols, etc., which are present in specific parts of herbs. They can be extracted by various methods like steam distillation, pressing techniques, solvent evaporation, etc. The current work summarises research which is aimed at developing safe and effective herbal mosquito repellents. Our study aims at investigating herbs with mosquito repellent activity without causing health hazards, environmental hazards and pollution. The herbs which have mosquito repellent activity have been used in specific proportions depending on their mosquito repellent activity, and formulations have been developed. The results demonstrated that the herbal mosquito repellent cone exhibited significant mosquito-repelling activity, with up to a 90% reduction in mosquito landing within a defined area. The cone had an optimal burning time of approximately 4 hours, ensuring prolonged protection. The herbal formulation was also found to be free from toxic side effects commonly associated with synthetic repellents, making it a safer alternative for families, children, and individuals with sensitivities. In response to the growing concerns over the adverse effects of synthetic mosquito repellents, this study aims to formulate and evaluate an herbal mosquito repellent cone made from natural ingredients. The cone was designed using a combination of essential oils known for their insect-repellent properties, such as neem and lemongrass oils, integrated into a natural wax base. The slow-release mechanism of the repellent compounds during the burning process ensures effective mosquito control in both indoor and outdoor environments.