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.