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Research title: THE EFFCTIVENESS OF Origanum vulgarae AND Cymbopogon nardus AS AN ORGANIC INSECT REPELLENT CANDLE
Background of the Study
Over the past few years, a large number of insect repellents have been developed, all geared toward the primary goal of diminishing the frequency of arthropod bites. According to Fradin, (1998), insect repellents are a specific class of chemicals applied by humans regularly to the skin, clothing, or other surfaces to mask the human skin or create a barrier against local environmental factors to repel the insects and arthropods such as mosquitoes, gnats, and ticks. This impedes their ability to locate and feed on their host, consequently reducing the transmission of vector-borne diseases such as dengue fever, west nile virus, lyme disease, and malaria (Roy et al., 2017).
In the Philippines, dengue fever was acknowledged by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009 as the predominant viral disease spread by arthropods affecting humans. It is noteworthy that Ngo et al. (2020) highlighted a worrisome increase in the fatality rate in children aged one to four years old attributed to mosquito-borne diseases in 2020, particularly dengue. Despite advancements in our technologically sophisticated era, the search for vaccines to prevent infectious diseases transmitted through mosquitoes and ticks remains elusive. Consequently, primary prevention approaches continue to stress the avoidance of arthropod exposure through the use of insect repellents and insecticides to reduce disease transmission to humans (Diaz, 2016). Nevertheless, although various repellents have shown effectiveness in achieving their intended purposes, their ability to completely mitigate the risk of transmitting vector-borne diseases is practically limited due to variations in formulation and individual usage practices among consumers (Debboun & Strickman, 2013).
The vast majority of commercially available repellents utilize chemical ingredients, including dimethyl phthalate, allethrin, hydroxyethyl isobutyl piperidine carboxylate (picaridin), N,N-diethylphenyl-acetamide (DEPA), and N,N-diethyl-methazolamide (DEET) (Amer & Mehlhorn, 2006). These compounds are known to disrupt the behavior of arthropods either upon contact or within short distances, although their precise mode of action remains partially understood (Bohbot, Strickman, & Zwiebel, 2014). Extensive research into the efficacy of different types of insect repellents consistently indicates that those containing chemical components tend to achieve higher rates of effectiveness. For instance, Fradin & Day (2002) found that DEET-based repellents provide more prolonged protection against mosquitoes compared to plant-based alternatives. Similarly, Debboun et al. (2006) reported that chemical-based insect repellents, such as Baygon, offer superior defense against mosquito bites and are more effective in preventing insect-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever when compared to natural repellents.
While chemical-based insect repellents have been proven effective through scientific studies, Sanghong et al. (2015) caution that they can pose risks to synthetic fabrics and plastics and may lead to toxic reactions like dermatitis, allergies, and neurological and cardiovascular side effects if used incorrectly. Furthermore, the widespread use of synthetic repellents to combat mosquitoes has disrupted natural ecosystems, fostering insecticide resistance, resurgence of mosquito populations, and adverse effects on non-target organisms. As a result, these repellents have been flagged as potentially hazardous to public health and should be approached with care (Sanghong et al., 2015; Govindarajan et al., 2016).
To date, amidst growing concerns regarding environmental and health issues, plant-derived compounds are increasingly being acknowledged as efficacious antibacterial and insect-repellent agents on a global scale. The essential oils extracted from catnip (Nepeta cataria L. cv. CR9) and oregano (Origanum vulgare L. cv. Pierre), known for their high concentrations of nepetalactone and carvacrol respectively, have demonstrated promising outcomes by displaying robust antibacterial properties against economically significant plant pathogens and considerable insect repellent capabilities against prevalent bed bugs. These findings indicate the potential applications of these compounds in the realms of agriculture and urban pest control as viable natural alternatives to conventional chemical interventions (Patel, H. K. et al., 2023). Having been historically utilized in everyday practices, citronella oil as well, has been the subject of various investigations affirming its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and repellent attributes. Moreover, citronella oil has been prescribed for its calming effects, as a remedy for conditions such as rheumatism, typhus, foodborne illnesses, skin irritations, and body malodors, in addition to its role as a mosquito deterrent (Tsai et al., 2010; Chen & Viljoen, 2010; Ali et al., 2015).
Furthermore, several economically important aromatic plants belonging to the Lamiaceae species, such as Origanum, Thymus, Satureja, Lavandula, Rosmarinus, Melissa, Ocimum, and Salvia, among various other genera, are extensively utilized in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors. These plants have been identified to produce a diverse array of volatile compounds with properties such as attractant, repellent, antifeedant, larvicidal, insecticidal, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects (Nieto, 2017; Ebadollahi et al., 2020; Ramos da Silva et al., 2021; Nazar et al., 2022). Research has also investigated the potential of oregano essential oil in managing significant pests, demonstrating its lethal or sublethal effects on pests like the red flour beetle (Licciardello et al., 2013), the blowfly (Bedini et al., 2021), bed bugs (Sharifard et al., 2018), mosquitoes (Giatropoulos et al., 2022), and maize weevil (Eesiah et al., 2022). Moreover, the leaves of Lansium domesticum (lanzones) have been discovered to contain tannins, phlobatannins, flavonoids, steroids, glycosides, and alkaloids, showcasing potential applications as insecticides (Leatemia & Isman, 2004), antimutagenic agents (Matsumoto et al., 2018), antimalarial compounds (Saewan et al., 2006), and antibacterial agents (Mohyuddin et al., 2018).
Given the apparent hurdles in identifying optimal insect repellents, the researcher intends to conduct this study to examine the organic compounds present in lanzones, oregano leaves, and citronella as potential ingredients of organic insect repellent candle and evaluate their efficacy rates against insects in order to produce a cost effective, environmental and health friendly plant-based insect repellents.
Objectives of the Study
Generally, this study focuses on the effectiveness of oregano leaves and citronella as an organic insect repellent candles. Specifically, the study aims to:
1. evaluate the compounds of oregano leaves and citronella as potential ingredients of organic insect repellent candle;
2. produce organic insect repellent candle using oregano leaves and citronella; and
3. investigate the effectiveness of oregano leaves and citronella organic candle as an insect repellent.
1. Conduct a long-term study to evaluate the continuous effectiveness of the organic insect repellent candles made from oregano leaves and citronella. This will help determine if the repellent properties degrade over time and if they provide consistent protection against insects.
2. Investigate the potential synergistic effects of combining different plant-based ingredients in organic insect repellent candles. By exploring various combinations, researchers can identify the most effective and potent formulations for repelling a wide range of insects.
3. Explore the safety and environmental impact of using organic insect repellent candles compared to chemical-based repellents. This research can provide valuable insights into the sustainability and health benefits of plant-derived repellents for both humans and the environment.
4. Conduct field studies to assess the practical applications of organic insect repellent candles in real-world settings. By testing the candles in outdoor environments with high insect populations, researchers can determine their efficacy under varying conditions and usage scenarios.
5. Investigate the potential commercial viability of organic insect repellent candles made from oregano leaves and citronella. This research can provide insights into market demand, consumer preferences, and the feasibility of producing and distributing these natural repellent products on a larger scale.
Bot GPT 3.5