Mosquito repellant activity of extracts of Chandana and Sarshapa

Abstract

Simple herbs are a remedy for various problems and holds good even for mosquito menace. Mosquitoes are well known vectors of several disease-causing pathogens. They are a cause of concern for various diseases like malaria, filariasis, dengue haemorrhagic fever and chikungunya.DEET (N, N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) is so far the golden standard for mosquito repellant effect. Many synthetic mosquito repellants are available but question of safety is an issue. Thus the need for a safer alternative with herbs has aroused. In Ayurveda treatise the combination of Chandana (Santalum album) and Sarshapa (Brassica campestris) as dhupana (fumigation) has been said as krimighna (insecticidal). The extracts of these two drugs have proved to have mosquito repellant action against Aedes aegypti. The study was conducted by Cone bioassay and Cage Bioassay methods. The repellency activity of these plant extracts were tested at five different concentration (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 mg/cm2) and at the density of 100 mosquitoes against 3-4 days old, blood starved female Ae.aegypti. The skin repellency activity of Santalum album and Brassica campestris plant extract gave maximum protection at 5.0 mg/cm2 concentration (6.30 hours).