Sains Malaysiana 53(9)(2024): 2021-2032

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2024-5309-01

Essential Oil with Mosquito-Repellent Potential from Plectranthus amboinicus Leaves against Aedes aegypti via Human Volunteer Study

(Minyak Pati dengan Potensi Penghalau Nyamuk daripada Daun Plectranthus amboinicus terhadap Aedes aegypti melalui Kajian Sukarelawan Manusia)

RIZAFIZAH OTHAMAN^1,2, SUMATHY RAGHAVAN^1,3, ROZIDA MOHD KHALID^1,2, NABHAN SHARER⁴ & MUNTAZ ABU BAKAR^1,*

¹Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

²Polymer Research Center, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

³Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jalan Empat, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

⁴Greenfinite (M) Sdn. Bhd., 602b, Bangi Business Park, 43650 Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Received: 27 July 2023/Accepted: 6 August 2024

Abstract

Plectranthus amboinicus(PA) is a highly aromatic perennial shrub that belongs to the Lamiaceae family. It has thick, fleshy and succulent leaves and stem. The margins of the leaves contain numerous glandular hairs that produce essential oil. The essential oil of PA(PAEO) exhibits therapeutical, nutritional, antioxidant, antimicrobial, insecticidal, and insect repellent potentials. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the repellent properties of PAEO and DEET against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which are known carriers of dengue fever.  The extraction of PAEO was carried out using hydrodistillation method while the chemical profile was analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique. The bioefficacy test was conducted according to the household insecticide products personal mosquito repellent evaluation method for biological efficacy (First revision) (MS1497:2007) provided by the Standard and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM) with slight modification. 10% PAEO was used as test solution while 10% DEET was used as positive control. Fabric and patches treated with 10% PAEO were tested on human volunteers. Both the fabric and the patch, treated with 10% PAEO, exhibit excellent repellency (97 - 100%) against Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for a duration of up to 240 min (4 h) post-application. In contrast, 10% DEET, which initially showed a comparable repellency (99%) 30 min after application, experiences a gradual decline in repellency over time, reaching a 51% repellency rate at the end of the test (240 min post-application). A two-way ANOVA analysis indicates significant effect for type of treatment (p = 0.016) but with no significant difference between the exposure time. Tukey’s test showed significant differences between 10% PAEO-treated patches and 10% DEET (p = 0.016), and between 10% PAEO-treated fabric and 10% DEET (p = 0.026).  These findings suggest that PAEO is potentially an effective natural repellent against Ae. aegypti.

Keywords: Aedes aegypti; carvacrol; essential oil; natural mosquito repellent; Plectranthus amboinicus

Abstrak

Plectranthus amboinicus (PA) adalah sejenis syrub saka aromatik daripada famili Lamiaceae. Ia mempunyai batang dan daun yang tebal dan sukulen. Bahagian margin daun P. amboinicus mempunyai banyak rerambut kelenjar yang menghasilkan minyak pati. Minyak pati PA (PAEO) menunjukkan pelbagai potensi daripada segi terapeutik, pemakanan, antioksidan, antimikrob, insektisid dan penghalau serangga. Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk menilai dan membandingkan sifat penghalau nyamuk PAEO dan DEET terhadap Aedes aegypti yang merupakan vektor demam denggi. Pengekstrakan PAEO dijalankan menggunakan kaedah penyulingan hidro manakala profil kimia dianalisis dengan teknik kromatografi gas-spektrometri jisim (GC-MS). Ujian bioefikasi telah dijalankan berdasarkan kaedah household insecticide products personal mosquito repellent evaluation method for biological efficacy (First revision)(MS1497:2007) yang disediakan oleh Institut Penyelidikan Standard dan Perindustrian Malaysia (SIRIM) dengan sedikit pengubahsuaian. 10% PAEO telah digunakan sebagai larutan ujian manakala 10% DEET digunakan sebagai kawalan positif. Fabrik dan pelekat yang dirawat dengan 10% PAEO diuji ke atas sukarelawan manusia. Kedua-dua fabrik dan pelekat yang dirawat dengan 10% PAEO memberikan peratus perlindungan yang sangat baik (97 - 100%) terhadap Ae. aegypti sehingga 240 minit (4 jam) selepas aplikasi. Sebaliknya, 10% DEET menunjukkan peratus perlindungan yang standing dengan 10% PAEO pada awal ujian (30 minit selepas aplikasi) tetapi mengalami penurunan yang ketara dengan hanya 51% diakhir ujian (240 minit selepas aplikasi). Analisis ANOVA dua hala menunjukkan kesan jenis rawatan yang signifikan (p = 0.016) tetapi tiada perbezaan yang signifikan antara masa pendedahan.  Ujian Tukey seterusnya mendedahkan perbezaan yang signifikan antara tampalan yang dirawat dengan 10% PAEO dan DEET 10% (p = 0.016) dan antara kain yang dirawat dengan 10% PAEO dan DEET 10% (p = 0.026). Keputusan ini menunjukkan potensi PAEO sebagai penghalau nyamuk semula jadi yang berkesan terhadap Ae.aegypti.

Kata kunci: Aedes aegypti; karvakrol; minyak pati; penghalau nyamuk semula jadi; Plectranthus amboinicus

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*Corresponding author; email: muntaz@ukm.edu.my