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Neem and several plants useful in mosquito control
New Delhi, Nov 20: Neem oil and several other plant-based products are safer and low-cost alternatives to synthetic chemicals as insecticides and moquito repellents, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
New Delhi, Nov 20: Neem oil and several other plant-based products are safer and low-cost alternatives to synthetic chemicals as insecticides and moquito repellents, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research.
"Herbal products with proven potential as insecticides or repellent can play an important role in the interruption of transmission of mosquito-borne diseases at the individual as well as the community level," ICMR says in its bulletin.
Several mosquito species like anopheles, Culex, and Aedes are vectors for diseases like malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue, it says. The plant-based products can be used as alternatives to synthetic insecticides or along with other insecticides under the integrated vector control, it adds.
This is important as the extensive use of synthetic organic insecticides during the last five decades has resulted in environmental hazards and also in development of resistance in many mosquito species, the bulletin says.
One of the most commonly studied plants for the purpose is Neem. Neem oil and other commercial preparations of Neem have been found as potential killers of mosquito larva. It also has potential to prevent mosquito breeding.
Besides, herbal derivatives of plants like "Eucalyptus Lantana, and metha" have also shown repellency effects against different mosquito species, it says and adds there is a need to promote herbal products through community-based vector control programme.
Bureau Report
Several mosquito species like anopheles, Culex, and Aedes are vectors for diseases like malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and dengue, it says. The plant-based products can be used as alternatives to synthetic insecticides or along with other insecticides under the integrated vector control, it adds.
This is important as the extensive use of synthetic organic insecticides during the last five decades has resulted in environmental hazards and also in development of resistance in many mosquito species, the bulletin says.
One of the most commonly studied plants for the purpose is Neem. Neem oil and other commercial preparations of Neem have been found as potential killers of mosquito larva. It also has potential to prevent mosquito breeding.
Besides, herbal derivatives of plants like "Eucalyptus Lantana, and metha" have also shown repellency effects against different mosquito species, it says and adds there is a need to promote herbal products through community-based vector control programme.
Bureau Report