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A Natural,
Alternative Insect Repellent to Deet
Isolongifolenone found as effective as DEET against mosquitoes and ticks
Lanham, MD; February 5, 2009 – Isolongifolenone, a natural compound found in the
Tauroniro tree (Humiria balsamifera) of South America, has been found to
effectively deter biting of mosquitoes and to repel ticks, both of which are
known spreaders of diseases such as malaria, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease.
Derivatives of isolongifolenone have been widely and safely used as fragrances
in cosmetics, perfumes, deodorants, and paper products, and new processing
methods may make it as cheap to produce as DEET.
The results of
this research are presented in the latest issue of Journal of Medical Entomology
in an article by Aijun Zhang et. al titled “Isolongifolenone: A Novel
Sesquiterpene Repellent of Ticks and Mosquitoes.”
The authors found
that isolongifolenone deters the biting of the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti
(L.) and Anopheles stephensi Liston more effectively than the widely used
synthetic chemical repellent N,N-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide (DEET) in laboratory
bioassays. Furthermore, it repelled blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks as
effectively as DEET.
Since
“isolongifolenone is easily synthesized from inexpensive turpentine oil
feedstock,” the authors write, “we are therefore confident that the compound has
significant potential as an inexpensive and safe repellent for protection of
large human populations against blood-feeding arthropods.”
In addition, a
new, patented method developed by the authors to efficiently produce
isolongifolenone would make it even more cost effective.
Full text of the
article is available at
http://www.entsoc.org/iso.htm.
Journal of
Medical Entomology
is published quarterly by the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Founded in
1889, ESA is a non-profit organization committed to serving the scientific and
professional needs of nearly 6,000 entomologists and individuals in related
disciplines. ESA's membership includes representatives from educational
institutions, government, health agencies, and private industry. More
information on ESA is available at
www.entsoc.org.
Contact: Richard
Levine, 301-731-4535, ext. 3009, or
rlevine@entsoc.org.
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