FORMULATION & EVALUATION OF MOSQUITOES REPLLENT CREAM

Karishma Mukinda Shinde*, Bhagyashri Satish Rupanwar and Pritam Sudhir Ghadge

ABSTRACT

Mosquito repellent is a product that is applied to the skin or other surfaces to deter insects (and arthropods in general) from landing or climbing on that surface. The interest in plant-based repellants has been revived seeing that the development of resistance, cross-resistance and possible toxicity hazards associated with synthetic insecticides and their rising cost. The present study aimed towards the development and evaluation of safe and efficient herbal mosquito repellent from leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica, Vitex negundo, and Ocimum gratissimum. Six different types of formulation (Type-1 to 6) were prepared using each plant extract and optimized ingredients. The mosquito repellent activity of the formulation was tested using the arm-in-cage method. One skin rubbed with a small quantity of formulation was exposed to 20 mosquitoes and the number of mosquitoes that aligned or biting the arm was recorded in each minute for five minutes. The most effective repellent activity of the Type2 formulation was 87.5% (Y-shaped Model) and 91.62% (Rectangular-shaped Model). The Typel, Type3, Type4, Types and Type6 formulation showed 66.62%, 58.25%, 68.75%, 70.75% and 62.5% repellent activity in Y shaped model and 66.62%, 62.5%, 70.75%, 83.25% and 62.5% repellent activity in Rectangular shaped model respectively. During these studies, we found that Hexane extract showed higher repellent activity. No allergic reactions were observed upon the skin. So, it is a safe product. The formulation was ecological, economical and highly efficient.

Keywords: Herbal medicine, Mosquito repellent, Cream, Azadirachta indica, Vitex negundo, Ocimum gratissimu etc.