Beyond mosquitoes—Essential oil toxicity and repellency against bloodsucking insects

Benelli, Giovanni; Pavela, Roman

doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.02.072

Cited by 120 publications

(58 citation statements)

References 116 publications

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“…In addition to these and other related findings in triatomines (i.e. DEET pre-exposure adaptation, DEET repellency in pyrethroid resistant colonies and the effect of nitric oxide on the sensory detection of DEET) [20,31,32], other studies have explored natural repellents such as essential oils, aiming at finding alternatives to DEET and other synthetic repellents [18,21,23,[33][34][35][36].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Historically, most research on repellents has focused on mosquitoes over other blood-sucking arthropods such as triatomines [4,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. This tendency to focus on mosquito-repellent research is not surprising considering the higher mortality and morbidity due to mosquito-borne diseases compared to that of Chagas disease [22][23][24]. For almost six decades, NN-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, known as DEET, has been the most common mosquito repellent used worldwide [25].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insects Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

et al. 2020

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Background: Studying the behavioral response of blood-sucking disease-vector insects to potentially repellent volatile compounds could shed light on the development of new control strategies. Volatiles released by human facial skin microbiota play different roles in the host-seeking behavior of triatomines. We assessed the repellency effect of such compounds of bacterial origin on Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, two important vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America. Methods: Using an exposure device, insects were presented to human odor alone (control) and in the presence of three individual test compounds (2-mercaptoethanol, dimethyl sulfide and 2-phenylethanol, the latter only tested in R. prolixus) and the gold-standard repellent NN-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET). We quantified the time the insects spent in the proximity of the host and determined if any of the compounds evaluated affected the behavior of the insects. Results: We found volatiles that significantly reduced the time spent in the proximity of the host. These were 2-phenylethanol and 2-mercaptoethanol for R. prolixus, and dimethyl sulfide and 2-mercaptoethanol for T. infestans. Such an effect was also observed in both species when DEET was presented, although only at the higher doses tested. Conclusions: The new repellents modulated the behavior of two Chagas disease vectors belonging to two different triatomine tribes, and this was achieved using a dose up to three orders of magnitude lower than that needed to evoke the same effect with DEET. Future efforts in understanding the mechanism of action of repellent compounds such as 2-mercaptoethanol, as well as an assessment of their temporal and spatial repellent properties, could lead to the development of novel control strategies for these insect vectors, refractory to DEET.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insects Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

et al. 2020

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“…Studies with R. prolixus and T. infestans have revealed that whether the host is present or not, only high doses (i.e., >90%) have a repellent effect, making DEET rather impractical for reducing human-vector contacts [11,23–26]. In addition to these and other related findings in triatomines (i.e., DEET pre-exposure adaptation, DEET repellency in pyrethroid resistant colonies and the effect of nitric oxide on the sensory detection of DEET) [16,27,28], other studies have explored natural repellents such as essential oils, aiming at finding alternatives to DEET and other synthetic repellents [14,17,19,29–32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insectsRhodnius prolixusandTriatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

Ramírez

Ortiz

Guerenstein

et al. 2019

Preprint

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24 25 Background: Studying the behavioral response of blood-sucking, disease-vector insects to 26 potentially repellent volatile compounds could shed light on the development of new 27 control strategies. Volatiles released by human facial skin microbiota play different roles in 28 the host-seeking behavior of triatomines. We assessed the repellency effect of such 29 compounds of bacterial origin on Triatoma infestans and Rhodnius prolixus, two important 30 vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America. 31 Methods: Using an exposure device, insects were presented to human odor alone (negative 32 control) and in the presence of three individual tested compounds (2-mercaptoethanol, 33 dimethyl sulfide and 2-phenylethanol, which was only tested in R. prolixus) and the gold-34 standard repellent NN-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide-DEET (positive control). We quantified 35 the time the insects spent in the proximity of the host and performed nonparametric 36 statistical tests to determine if any of the compounds evaluated affected the behavior of the 37 insect. 38Results: We found volatiles that significantly reduced the time spent in the proximity of the 39 host. These were 2-phenylethanol and 2-mercaptoethanol for R. prolixus, and dimethyl 40 sulfide and 2-mercaptoethanol for T. infestans. Such an effect was also observed in both 41 species when DEET was presented, although only at the higher doses tested. 42 Conclusions:The new repellents modulated the behavior of two Chagas disease vectors 43 belonging to two different triatomine tribes, and this was achieved using a dose up to three 44 orders of magnitude lower than that needed to evoke the same effect with DEET. Future 45 efforts in understanding deeply the mechanism of action of repellent compounds such as 2-46 3 mercaptoethanol, as well as an assessment of their temporal and spatial repellent properties, 47 could lead to the development of novel control strategies for insect vectors refractory to 48 DEET. 49

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“…Over the past decade, some novel compounds such as dimeticone, isopropyl myristate, and benzyl alcohol [15,16], or neurotoxic compounds such as spinosad and ivermectin, were developed against louse species [17,18]. Recently, natural products with pediculicidal properties, such as essential oils, have been used as therapeutic alternatives to the synthetic insecticides [7,19,20].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Essential Oils as a Potential Treatment Option for Pediculosis

et al. 2020

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Pediculosis is a prevalent ectoparasite infestation caused by lice. The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) and body louse (Pediculus humanus humanus) are obligatory parasites whose only known hosts are humans. Pediculosis is probably the most common ectoparasitic infestation, affecting up to 80% of the population in several countries, and particularly prevalent in the infant population worldwide. Several treatment options, including shampoos and creams containing insecticides, have been introduced for the treatment of pediculosis. Recently, the use of synthetic chemicals to control human lice has raised concerns pertaining to human health and the environment. Therefore, increasing efforts have been undertaken to develop effective pediculicides with low environmental toxicity and minimal environmental residual activity. In this study, we focus on the essential oils derived from 22 plant genera, their constituents, and the major factors that play important roles in the effectiveness of these oils in the treatment of pediculosis. Furthermore, we discuss the advantages and limitations of the mentioned essential oils, and ultimately suggest those demonstrating the most effective in vitro pediculicidal activities. The genera such as Aloysia, Cinnamomum, Eucalyptus, Eugenia, Lavandula, Melaleuca, Mentha, Myrcianthes, Origanum, Pimpinella, and Thymus appear to be more efficient against lice. These genera are rich in anethole, 1,8-cineole, cinnamaldehyde, p-cymene, eugenol, linalool, limonene, pulegone, terpinen-4-ol, and thymol compounds.

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Beyond mosquitoes—Essential oil toxicity and repellency against bloodsucking insects

Cited by 120 publications

References 116 publications

Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insects Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insects Rhodnius prolixus and Triatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

Novel repellents for the blood-sucking insectsRhodnius prolixusandTriatoma infestans, vectors of Chagas disease

Essential Oils as a Potential Treatment Option for Pediculosis

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