Hi Paulyt,
Jonathan F. Day of the University of Florida tested 17 nationally
marketed repellants under laboratory conditions - it was the first
study of this kind. "Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Lotion Insect Repellent"
was tested alongside other DEET-based products. This article in the
Washington Post talks about this study:
[...]
"Because no one had compared various repellents' effectiveness, Fradin
and entomologist Jonathan F. Day of the University of Florida decided
to test 17 nationally marketed products under laboratory conditions.
They asked 15 volunteers at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory
in Vero Beach to stick a forearm coated with repellent into a cage
containing 10 hungry female mosquitoes and see how much time elapsed
before the first bite.
[...]
Four skin lotions containing DEET in concentrations ranging from 5
percent to 24 percent were among the top six tested. Off! Deep Woods,
a repellent containing 23.8 percent DEET, provided the longest-lasting
protection: 302 minutes, on average. The other DEET lotions worked for
at least 89 minutes. But wristbands, containing DEET or citronella,
were completely ineffective.
Two botanical repellents performed as well as some DEET-based
products. One, containing oil of eucalyptus -- Repel Lemon Eucalyptus
Lotion Insect Repellent, which is also marketed as Fite Bite
Plant-Based Insect Repellent -- protected participants for an average
of 120 minutes. Another, containing 2 percent soybean oil, Bite
Blocker for Kids, worked for an average of 95 minutes.
None of the other repellents tested -- containing IR3535, citronella,
or oils of peppermint, lemongrass, geranium or cedar -- worked for
longer than 22 minutes.[...]
"The thing that surprised me was the gigantic difference between the
DEET-based repellents and, for the most part, the non-DEET-based
repellents," Fradin said.
Consumers have applied DEET more than 8 billion times in the past 45
years, and its overall safety record is excellent, researchers said.
Fradin said there have been about 50 cases of significant toxicity,
generally involving high doses or deliberate ingestion.
There have been seven reports of seizures in small children who were
exposed to excessive doses of DEET, said Andrew Spielman, a professor
of tropical medicine at the Harvard School of Public Health who
co-wrote a commentary on the study. He said repellents containing
about 35 percent DEET provide mosquito protection lasting overnight,
and products with higher concentrations offered no additional benefit.
He recommended that less-concentrated DEET products should be used for
children."
[...]
Source:
Herbals Lag as Mosquito Repellents
DEET-Containing Products Far More Effective, Study Finds
By Susan Okie
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, July 4, 2002; Page A01
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/MOSQUITO/ALERTS/washingtonpost_07-19-02.htm
===================================================
In this study, two non-DEET repellents with eucalyptus oil provided
the most effective protection:
"In a widely acclaimed study conducted last year by the New England
Journal of Medicine, the top three products all contained varying
percentages of DEET as their active ingredient. Deep Woods OFF!, with
23.8 percent DEET was the clear winner with an average time of
protection of 301 minutes, or just more than five hours. Sawyer
Controlled Release, with 20 percent DEET, had an average time of
protection of 234 minutes, or just less than four hours. Skintastik
OFF!, with 6.7 percent DEET, provided 112 minutes of total protection,
or just less than two hours.
[...]
By far, the two most effective non-DEET products tested by the New
England Journal were Repel Lemon Eucalyptus and Fite Bite, two
repellents with eucalyptus oil as their active ingredient, and Bite
Blocker for Kids, a repellent with soybean oil as its active
ingredient."
http://www.coloradoan.com/news/coloradoanpublishing/West_Nile_Virus/062303_deet.html
===================================================
"Researchers at Duke University Medical School (led by Dr. Mohamed
Abou-Donia) have published findings demonstrating in laboratory
studies that frequent and prolonged application of DEET cause neurons
to die in regions of the brain responsible for muscle movements,
learning, memory and concentration --all subtle effects."
http://www.beyondpesticides.org/MOSQUITO/ALERTS/washingtonpost_07-19-02.htm
===================================================
Related site:
"Studies have shown that Catnip oil is about ten times more effective
than DEET for repelling mosquitoes and other insects. To read more
about the study, click here. ( www.E-Scent-ials.com/catnip.html ).
Blending catnip oil with Lemon Eucalyptus - which has a higher
citronellol content than Citronella, and is also said to be useful as
an insect repellent - will yield a more pleasing scent."
http://www.e-scent-ials.com/Oil-properties.html
===================================================
On another question i researched (about dust mite control), I came
across a site which talks about using eucalyptus oil to control
allergic reactions:
"...in one of the most interesting breakthroughs of late in
controlling allergic reactions caused by dust mites was a study done
at the University of Sydney in Australia utilizing eucalyptus oil when
washing wool, sheets or linens. The study indicated that wool washed
with a mixture of detergent and eucalyptus oil actually eliminated up
to 95% of the Dust Mites in wool. The unique thing is that they were
able to do this at a lower temperature, thus preserving the fabric.
....Here is a recipe for using O'Brien's World Famous Oil of
Eucalyptus in the wash. ....When you strip the bedding off the
mattress, just spray a couple of sprays on a towel and wipe down the
mattress. Then place all the bedding in the washing machine and fill
the machine with water. Mix three parts liquid detergent and one part
O'Brien's World Famous Oil of Eucalyptus and pour into the washing
machine. Let it soak for 30 minutes then wash as usual. Do this on a
regular basis and you will feel the difference. *Please note that once
you have made up the mixture of 1 to 3: then stir one tablespoon in a
glass of water and stir. If the water stays cloudy for 10 minutes you
a have a good mixture."
http://www.allnaturalpainrelief.com/dust_mites.html
===================================================
I hope this information is useful!
regards,
JACKBURTON-ga
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"lemon eucalyptus" study university insect
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