Phytochemical Profiles and Mosquito-Repellent Properties of Indigenous Plants from Pak Panang District, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Abstract

This study investigated the mosquito-repelling ability of folkloric indigenous plants by phytochemical extraction using three distinct methods. The phytochemical composition and antioxidant activities of the extracts were evaluated using thin-layer chromatography. The average powder weights of Citrus maxima (CM), Eleocharisdulcis plantaginea (EP), and Thespesia populnea (TP) were 154.33, 156.67, and 153.78 mg/g dry weight, respectively, and are substantially different from the other ten species (p=0.05). However, this technique did not affect the extract yield. The region of interest (ROI) values for the antioxidant activity of these three species were 328.9, 924.0, and 735.0, respectively. The repellent activities of the CM, TP, and EP extracts were significantly lower than those of DEET; however, the repellent activities of the mixed extract did not differ (p=0.05). This study found that indigenous plants commonly used in the region have mosquito-repellant and antioxidant properties. Combining the three extracts would yield the same activity as DEET, an ingredient used in commercial mosquito repellents.