Local plants as repellents against Anopheles arabiensis, in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the repellency effect of three local plants; fever tea (Lippia javanica), rose geranium (Pelargonium reniforme) and lemon grass (Cymbopogon excavatus) against laboratory reared Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes.


METHODS
A laboratory experimental study.


METHODS
Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.


METHODS
Three adult male volunteers.


METHODS
Affordable alternatives to synthetic repellents against biting of Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes.


RESULTS
All three alcohol plant extracts provided significantly more protection (p = 0.012) than alcohol control. The alcohol plant extract of L. javanica provided 76.7% protection against An. arabiensis after a four hour period, and C. excavatus and P. reniforme provided 66.7% and 63.3% protection for three hours, respectively. At five hours post application only L. javanica alcohol extract provided appreciable protection (59.3%) against An. arabiensis.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate that L. javanica, P. reniforme and C. excavatus protect against An. arabiensis mosquito bites with the repellent effect of L. javanica lasting significantly longer than that of the other two plants.
Govere
J
J
Communicable Disease Control, Department of Health, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.
Durrheim
D N
DN
Du Toit
N
N
Hunt
R H
RH
Coetzee
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000852:Anopheles; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D009032:Mosquito Control / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D012423:Rural Health; D013019:South Africa; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013729:Terpenes; D013997:Time Factors
D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D013729:Terpenes; C052901:lemongrass oil