Repelling properties of some plant materials on the tick Ixodes ricinus L

Phytomedicine. 2006 Jan;13(1-2):132-4. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2004.04.008. Epub 2005 Jul 1.

Abstract

The repellent effects on nymphal stages of Ixodes ricinus L. of some plant materials have been studied in the laboratory. The plant material consisted of an ethanolic extract from Achillea millefolium L., and volatile oils of birch and/or pine tar, citronella, cloves, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, lily of the valley and peppermint. The most pronounced effects were observed for the oils of citronella, cloves and lily of the valley. They possessed repelling activities of the same magnitude as the reference repellent DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide). Some major constituents of these oils, e.g. citronellol and geraniol (oil of citronella and lily of the valley) and eugenol (oil of cloves) showed pronounced repelling effects. This was also the case for phenethyl alcohol, a minor component in the oil from lily of the valley.

MeSH terms

  • Achillea / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Insect Repellents / pharmacology*
  • Ixodes / drug effects*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Oils / chemistry
  • Plant Oils / pharmacology*
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Insect Repellents
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Oils