The Efficacy of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) Extract and Oregano (Origanum vulgare) Extract as Plant-Based Mosquito Repellent Oil for Diffuser

Abstract

One of the primary problems facing the Philippines has been the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and other illnesses. This study examined the mosquito-repelling properties of Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus). This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Oregano (Origanum vulgare) and Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) as mosquito-repellent alternatives for diffusers instead of synthetic chemical repellents. The three concentrations of extract, which are Group A (75% Oregano and 25% lemongrass), Group B (50% Oregano and 50% lemongrass), and lastly Group C (25% Oregano and 75% lemongrass) tested in a mosquito box net that filled with 30 mosquitoes in 3 hours to test its repellency. This mosquito box contains black cloth and dissolves sugar in water to attract mosquitoes. After testing the two different mosquito repellents, which are the synthetic mosquito repellent and the plant-based mosquito repellent, the researchers tried three different concentrations at a duration of 3 hours: 75% oregano (Origanum vulgare) and 25% lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), with a repellent rate of 93%. 50% oregano (Origanum vulgare) and 50% lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) have a repellency rate of 95%. And the 25% oregano (Origanum vulgare) and 75% lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) have a repellency rate of 100%. The results show no significant differences between the two, and plant-based mosquito repellents can be used as a replacement for synthetic mosquito repellents due to their high repellency rate. The results show that 25% of Oregano and 75% of Lemongrass extract exhibited more repellency than other concentrations.

Further studies are warranted to confirm the effectiveness of oregano and lemongrass by using different extraction methods. They may also perform other testing methods in computing the repellency rate of their mosquito-repellent diffuser. Preferably, pharmaceutical companies and medical practitioners may conduct additional exploration or further analysis on the phytoconstituents of oregano and lemongrass.