A Survey-Based Evaluation of Mosquito Repellents with Reference to Their Safety and Mechanism of Action

Abstract

Since more than 60 years ago, N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) has been known as an extremely effective insect repellent. Even though it has been showcased to be effective in minimizing mosquito bites and reducing the risk of illnesses transmitted by mosquitoes, there are concerns about the possible adverse impacts on the well-being of humans and the environment. This study was conducted with the aim to provide an overview of the negative aspects of DEET as a mosquito repellent. This article is focused on mechanism of action, cyto-toxic effects of DEET and other ingredients and future perspective on how the insect repellents can be made safe for humans and efficacious against mosquitoes by implying some strategies that can replace harmful ingredients such as DEET with much safer and non-irritant ingredients. DEET acts on OR (Olfactory Receptors) receptor on the allosteric site to produce its effect. This article includes a survey which is conducted for utilization of different formulations of mosquito repellent and their side effects/negative impacts on participants. Survey includes various age groups from 12 to 60 that comes from rural and urban areas. Survey has been conducted using a questionnaire regarding the use of repellents and their side effects. Later, the collected data was interpreted using various data analysis techniques. The findings suggest mosquito repellents are responsible for many adverse reactions in consumers. Novel active ingredients and herbal ingredients should be explored to minimize such side effects.