title: Repellency to ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of extracts of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) and the anti-inflammatory DogsBestFriend™.
abstract: Motivated by observations that the canine anti-inflammatory cream DogsBestFriend™ (DBF) appeared to deter flies, mosquitoes, and ticks from treated animals, repellent efficacy bioassays using four species of ticks were conducted with three extracts of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae), a constituent of DBF. The DBF cream was tested against nymphs of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.). In vertical filter paper assays, the three extracts applied at 0.413 mg extract/cm(2) filter paper repelled 96.7-100 % of brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) nymphs, whereas, at the same rate, only one extract repelled >90 % A. americanum nymphs. Adult (mixed sexes) American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), required a higher concentration to be repelled effectively; two extracts, applied at 0.827 mg extract/cm(2) filter paper, repelled ≥90 % of the D. variabilis. In contrast, all extracts applied at much lower concentration (0.206 mg extract/cm(2) filter paper) repelled 100 % adult blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say (only females tested). Of the two more repellent extracts, one lost most of its activity against A. americanum nymphs in <4 h when applied at 0.827 mg extract/cm(2) filter paper, whereas the other repelled 66.7 % of the nymphs at 192 h after application. At 0.206 mg extract/cm(2) filter paper, one extract was as repellent as deet against A. americanum nymphs. In a vertical bioassay in which nylon organdy was substituted for filter paper, DBF, at the rates of 1.67 and 0.835 mg cream/cm(2), repelled 76.7 and 30.0 % A. americanum nymphs, respectively. These findings indicate that when applied appropriately DBF should afford some protection to canines against tick bites.
authors.affiliation: , 4002 September Song Drive, Manchaca, TX, 78652, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2475-7844
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.affiliation: Brookton Labs, 53B Brown Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Babish
authors.affiliation: Brookton Labs, 53B Brown Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pacioretty
authors.affiliation: USDA, ARS, Statistics Group, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA. matt.kramer@ars.usda.gov.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kramer
mesh_terms: D056810:Acaricides / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003870:Dermacentor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D009758:Nymph / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D048508:Rhipicephalus sanguineus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D063465:Skin Cream / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D056810:Acaricides; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents
keywords: Amblyomma americanum; Behavioral assay; Dermacentor variabilis; Ixodes scapularis; Rhipicephalus sanguineus