Better than DEET Repellent Compounds Derived from Coconut Oil

Scientific Reports
Junwei J ZhuDavid B Taylor

Abstract

Hematophagous arthropods are capable of transmitting human and animal pathogens worldwide. Vector-borne diseases account for 17% of all infectious diseases resulting in 700,000 human deaths annually. Repellents are a primary tool for reducing the impact of biting arthropods on humans and animals. N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET), the most effective and long-lasting repellent currently available commercially, has long been considered the gold standard in insect repellents, but with reported human health issues, particularly for infants and pregnant women. In the present study, we report fatty acids derived from coconut oil which are novel, inexpensive and highly efficacious repellant compounds. These coconut fatty acids are active against a broad array of blood-sucking arthropods including biting flies, ticks, bed bugs and mosquitoes. The medium-chain length fatty acids from C8:0 to C12:0 were found to exhibit the predominant repellent activity. In laboratory bioassays, these fatty acids repelled biting flies and bed bugs for two weeks after application, and ticks for one week. Repellency was stronger and with longer residual activity than that of DEET. In addition, repellency was also found against mosquitoes. An aqueous starc...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 30, 2019·Experimental & Applied Acarology·Nicoletta FaraoneN Kirk Hillier
Apr 16, 2020·Experimental & Applied Acarology·Chuks F NwanadeJingze Liu
Nov 16, 2019·Journal of Vector Ecology : Journal of the Society for Vector Ecology·Hanem F Khater, Christopher J Geden
Sep 11, 2019·Journal of Medical Entomology·Ameya D Gondhalekar
Jul 16, 2020·Dermatitis : Contact, Atopic, Occupational, Drug·Sara A Kullberg, Erin M Warshaw
Nov 4, 2020·Journal of Medical Entomology·Xianhui ShiQingli Wu
Nov 5, 2020·Journal of Medical Entomology·Whitney A QuallsJunwei J Zhu
Jan 10, 2021·Journal of Economic Entomology·Anne KrügerArlette Vander Pan
Mar 7, 2021·Insects·María A González-MoralesAlvaro Romero
Mar 2, 2021·Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association·Shougang ZhangJun-Wei Zhu

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
Assay

Software Mentioned

SAS
POLO

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