Mosquitoes traditional plants repelling

The tradition of repelling insects by burning plants is still strongly upheld in many countries, and the popularity of repellent smoke probably lies in its convenience. As most households in the developing world use a wood-smoke cooking fire, the addition of plants requires minimum effort. Similarly, mosquito coils are the preferred antimosquito product used by low-income communities"" because of their convenience and effectiveness."" For those with low household income, the utilization of waste products such as coconut husks maximizes the usefulness of a resource. However, these methods are only suitable for use outdoors because the combustion of plant materials releases many small particles and gases that have negative effects on human health." ... 

C. Vongsombath et al. Mosquito (Diptera Culicidae) repellency field tests of essential oils from plants traditionally used in Laos. J Med Entomol, 49, 1398, 2012. 

Moore, S. J. and A. Lenglet, in M. Wilcox, G. Bodeker and P. Rasoanaivo (eds). Traditional Medicinal Plants and Malaria, (CRC Press, Taylor Francis, London, 2004), pp. 343-363. (Citronella and eucalyptus as mosquito repellents)... 

K. Karunamoorthi et al. Ethnobotanical survey of knowledge and usage custom of traditional insect/ mosquito repellent plants among the Ethiopian Oromo ethnic group. J Ethnopharmacol, 125, 224, 2009. 

G. B. White. The insect repellent value of Ocimum spp. (Labiatae) Traditional anti-mosquito plants. East... 

N. Lukwa. Do traditional mosquito repellent plants work as mosquito larvicides. Cent Afr J Med, 40, 306, 1994. 

A. Seyoum et al. Traditional use of mosquito-repellent plants in western Kenya and their evaluation in semi-field experimental huts against Anopheles gambiae Ethnobotanical studies and application by thermal expulsion and direct burning. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg, 96, 225, 2002. 

Repellents based on botanical extracts are often perceived to be a natural method to protect against mosquito bites. Native plants from throughout the world, often with links to traditional use by indigenous cultures, have been purported to have usefulness as topical repellents of biting insects. A wide range of plant extracts have been tested and some products with potential benefits are derived from Australian native plants. In particular, native plants that belong to the Myrtaceae Family such as Eucalyptus spp., Leptospermum spp., and Melaleuca spp. 

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