PREPARATION OF AN HERBAL MOSQUITO REPELLANT AND ITS STABILITY STUDY

Abstract

Mosquito-borne diseases are a persistent global health concern, necessitating the development of safe and efficient repellents. This work explores the formulation and efficacy of a mosquito repellent liquid derived from natural ingredients, with a focus on essential oils such as lemongrass oil and okra extract used as a surfactant. Lemongrass oil, known for its high citronellal content, provides a potent repellent effect, while okra extracts containing mucilage acts as a natural surfactant, facilitating the homogeneous mixing of essential oils with water, thereby enhancing the formulation's stability and application of the repellent. The preparation process involved extracting essential oil from lemongrass, through reflux extraction method and obtaining mucilage from okra pods. The lemon grass was collected from the Assam don bosco university campus, tapesia gardens, Sonapur782402, Assam, India. The repellent formulations were then created by emulsifying varying concentrations of lemongrass oil with okra mucilage. The surface active agent present in okra helps in stabilizing the oil/water emulsion. The repellents stability was optimized against the concentration of various components and time. The okra/water extract concentration at 13.3 % v/v was optimized in this present study due to the formulation stability for 20 days. The repellent was found to be stable for 20 days at the LO/water concentration 17 % (v/v), which was also optimized. After 25 days from the day of preparation, the repellent was destabilized due to coagulation. For efficacy testing, proper scientific facility is required concerning the safety aspect. The inclusion of okra mucilage improved the stability of repellent suspension and ease of application.