Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent

Kelly Nicole B. Quitalig

Sheena Lalaine P. Piczon

Proponents - Cluster II

Life Science

A school Investigatory Project presented to SNS

November 2016

Dr. Ermelinda C.Floretes

Research Adviser

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 Chapter I

Introduction

A. Background and Rationale

Diseases transmitted by mosquitos’ causes a big impact on tropical countries

including Philippines. Mosquitos carry many infectious diseases such as yellow

fever, dengue fever, and chikungunya from several different classes of

microorganisms, including viruses and parasites. These diseases are transmitted

by the bite of a mosquito infected with one of the four dengue virus serotypes. It

is a febrile illness that affects infants, young children and adults with symptoms.

Dengue is one of the viral diseases that affects a lot of individuals. With more

than one-third of the world’s population living in areas at risk for infection, dengue

virus is a leading cause of illness and death.

Insects particularly mosquitos cause great harm to humans, and to kill this

pests people uses pesticides. This substance is used to control organisms that

are considered to be harmful. This is one way to protect crops from pests. But

this matter has also its disadvantages. One is that it has chemicals that may

harm people, sometimes they’re poisonous and it kills not only the pests but also

the natural enemies of these pests.

In order to prevent such diseases and make an alternative repellent with no

bad substances, the researchers forged an idea about using lemongrass in

creating a useful product which is a repellent for this kind of insect. Lemongrass
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is widely used as a culinary herb and also a medical herb. It is also used in other

creative way which benefits the users. In this study, the researchers would like to

make a product with the use of Cymbopogon in order to add its benefits.

The researchers are looking forward for the possibility of this study.

B. Statement of the Problem

1. General Objective:

To test the feasibility of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent.

2. Specific Objectives:

Compare the general acceptability of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as

mosquito repellent with the commercial repellent in terms of:

a. color

b. odor

c. price

d. general acceptability

C. Hypotheses

H0: 1. There is no significant difference between the general acceptability of

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent and the commercial

product in terms of:

a. color c. price

b. odor d. general acceptability

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Ha: 1. There is a significant difference between the general acceptability of

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent and the commercial repellent

in terms of:

a. color c. price

b. odor d. general acceptability

D. Conceptual Framework

Schematic Diagram on the Independent and Dependent Variables on the

study entitled “Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent”.

Lemongrass
Mosquito Repellent
(Cymbopogon)

INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE

Fig. 1.0 Paradigm of the Independent and Dependent Variables on the

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as mosquito repellent.

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E. Significance of the Study

The study on the Feasibility of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) will help the

community in avoiding certain diseases that is transmitted by mosquitos. The

study was conducted to make an alternative repellent. Tropical countries like

Philippines can benefit in this study. The findings of this study might benefit the

society and to the population as well. Not only lemongrass is organic it is also

safe to use since it lacks the presence of chemicals which can be found in some

commercialized products. This type of study is quite unique since the majority of

mosquito repellent is composed of chemicals and this study will use a key

component which is the lemongrass to create a safer product.

The children will benefit the most because knowledge of insect repellent will

enable them to prevent possible diseases. Through this study, the knowledge of

parents regarding lemon grass as insect repellent would be increased and

prevention could be done to avoid more serious damage to their kid’s health.

D. Scope and Limitation

This study entitled “Lemongrass Lemongrass (Cymbopogon) as

mosquito repellent” was conducted at Piczon’s residence located at Brgy. 9

Tumalistis Catbalogan City, Samar from September 2016 to December 2016

guided by the researcher’s parents.

The main component which is the lemongrass will be gathered from the

researcher’s backyard. The preparation and the planning in making the product

will be finished at Piczon’s residence.

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 The product will be evaluated by fifteen respondents in terms of color,

odor, price and general acceptability in order to test further the acceptability of

this study.

E. Definition of terms

For clarification purposes the following key terms are hereby defined

operationally.

1. Repellent. A substance that deters pests from approaching or settling

2. Lemongrass. The main component in the study

3. Mosquito. Slender long-legged fly with aquatic larvae.

4. Dengue. An acute infectious disease caused by a flavivirus.

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 Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Significant literature and studies that take into some aspects of this

research had been surveyed and reviewed to acquire better insights on the

conduct of the present study. These included both foreign and local literature and

studies done in relation to respondent’s awareness and beliefs about feasibility of

making coffee. This chapter will present the review of related literature and

studies conducted by researchers to support the problem under this study using

books, theses, journals, periodicals, magazine, and other reading materials

including information surfed from the internet.

A. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Bhatt (2014) stated that Peppermint oil offers an odor that causes allergy

in the bed bugs. This common oil that is found in most of the houses forms an

effective home remedy to get rid of bed bugs. Bed bugs cannot resist the smell of

mint; hence, they die. Peppermint’s smell chokes the bed bugs and they are

easily killed. Certain other oils like that of lavender too kill bed bugs successfully.

The odor of these oils is irresistible for these pests. However, you need to be

sure of one thing while using these home remedies

This is useful and related to the research because with only peppermint it

proves that it can also be used to prevent bugs that is already in our homes using

its own odor.

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 Lemongrass repels mosquitoes. You’ve no doubt seen citronella candles

in stores during the summer and read how citronella will keep mosquitoes away.

Citronella is a natural oil found in lemongrass, an ornamental that can grow up to

4 feet tall and 3 feet wide in one season. This grass with wonderful culinary uses

is hardy only in South Florida (Zone 10), so almost everyone will have to grow it

as an annual. It does well in a pot or in the ground in a sunny, well-drained

location. Use its fragrant, narrow leaves in chicken and pork dishes and to flavor

soups and salad dressing. Many Asian recipes call for lemongrass.

(http://www.mnn.com/your-home/organic-farming-gardening/stories/12-plants-

that-repel-unwanted-insects)

This is related to the present study because in the article lemongrass is

included as one of the plants that repel mosquitos. The study focuses on this.

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an easy to grow herb that requires

warm, humid conditions, full sunlight and plenty of moisture. It is a tender

perennial that is commonly grown as an annual in cooler areas of Utah. Plant

lemongrass after the last frost or grow it in a pot and move it outdoors after

temperatures warm in the spring. Nurseries and seed companies will generally

sell small starter plants. Lemongrass oil is used in soap, perfume, makeup, hair

products, a cleaning agent, antifungal agent, incense and potpourri. It is also

used as an effective, non-toxic insect repellent. Lemongrass is rich in vitamin A

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and reportedly has many medicinal benefits. For more information on herbal

medicines, refer to a reliable information source for details on the benefits or

hazards.

(http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1284&context=extensi

on_curall)

This article is related to this study because it states the benefits of

lemongrass. The researchers can confirm that lemongrass repels mosquitos with

the use of this article.

With summer come the mosquito bites. And with the bug bites come the

bug-borne diseases. But while the threat of West Nile virus or Lyme disease

might make you uneasy, so might slather your kids with a chemical bug repellent

every day. The bug sprays on the market – including ones with DEET – have

been deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency, at least when used

as directed. Still, many parents want to limit their kids’ exposure to potentially

toxic chemicals. It’s better if we used the alternatives. ( http://www.webmd.com/a-

to-z-guides/features/safer-bug-spray-natural-bug-repellents#1)

This is related to the present study because the product is not contained

with chemicals that might cause a huge disadvantage to the users. In this article

the author advised the people to use alternatives; the researchers think that their

product can be one.

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 Many Americans slather themselves in a synthetic chemical cocktail in

efforts to keep biting, stinging nasties at bay. But there are plenty of reasons to

stay away from traditional insect repellents and use more natural deterrents.

Read on to discover some of the benefits of natural insect repellents. N,N-

Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, commonly known as DEET, is the most common

active ingredient in insect repellents because it helps provide protection against a

range of insects, including mosquitoes, fleas, leeches, and ticks. However,

studies show that DEET can affect the body's central nervous system. There are

also fears that it may interact with other repellent chemicals and become even

more toxic. Because of the health concerns, The American Academy of

Pediatrics recommends only using repellents with a minimal amount of DEET on

children, and never using repellents containing DEET on infants less than two

months of age. If DEET carries a risk for children, surely the safest option for all

of us is to choose insect repellents without DEET. Of course there's no point

choosing a natural repellent if it doesn't do the job. However, studies have shown

that many natural insect repellents are equally or more effective than DEET-

repellents. Some soy-based repellents have been proven to offer longer

protection than low-concentration DEET products. Repellents containing oil of

lemon eucalyptus have been proven to deter mosquitoes better than DEET-

based products. They can also effectively ward off ticks. Most insect repellents

contain petroleum, parabens, phthalates, and other synthetic chemicals which

can irritate people with allergies or sensitive skin. Natural repellents are free from

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these chemical nasties, so people who break out on exposure to most

commercial products can enjoy the benefits without any negative side effects.

This article is related to this study because it states the advantages of

using natural insect repellent which pertains to certain product including the

researcher’s product.

A. Related Studies

According to Yoo (2011) that Basil is another plant that can also double as

a pest repellent. The pungent smells the basil leaves give off are what keep

pests at bay. And since all kinds of basil work to keep flies and mosquitoes at

bay, feel free to explore and find the right types of basil to mix into your garden.

This plant likes to be kept damp, needs good drainage, and enjoys lots of sun.

This is related to the present study because like lemongrass, can be used

to prevent and control unwanted pests in the area.

Peterson (2001) says that catnip is about 10 times more effective

than DEET because it takes about one-tenth as much nepetalactone as DEET to

have the same effect. Most commercial insect repellents contain about 5 percent

to 25 percent DEET. Presumably, much less catnip oil would be needed in a

formulation to have the same level of repellency as a DEET-based repellent. It

might simply be acting as an irritant or they don’t like the smell. But nobody really

knows why insect repellents work.

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 This will be useful to the research since the study is about repelling

mosquito and since the product has no chemicals in it the researchers

considered it as related to the study.

Saises, Maceda and Quitalig came up with the idea of using Mentha Piperita

also known as peppermint as the main component in making an alternative

mosquito repellent. Peppermint is an organic plant which means it doesn’t have

any chemicals unlike pesticides, insecticides, etc.

This is related to our study because the dependent variable is the same and

the making of the product is quiet similar.

According to Oder (2014) rosemary repels mosquitoes and a variety of

insects harmful to vegetable plants. Rosemary is available in various forms.

Plants can be grown in containers on a patio and shaped into ornamental

pyramids, grown in herb gardens or planted in landscaped beds, where some

varieties can grow quite large. Rosemary’s oils are as delicious to home cooks as

they are unpleasant to many insects. The plant itself and its cuttings are effective

repellents.

This is useful and related to the research because rosemary is not known

to be used to repel insects but commonly used in cooking like the main

component of the present study. This also applies in lemongrass, if proven to be

effective then it would help the community.

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 According to the given site below, DEET is an effective repellent against

mosquitoes, there are concerns associated with its use. It is irritating to mucous

membranes, and concentrated formulations dissolve plastic. Some human

toxicity effects have been reported after applications of DEET, varying from mild

to severe (Briassoulis et al. 2001; Bell and Veltri 2002). Because of these

undesirable side effects, research on repellents derived from plant extracts is

needed to find alternatives that would be safer but still effective.

The repellent properties of plants to mosquitoes and other pest insects were well

known before the use of synthetic chemicals. Traditionally, people used natural

compounds to protect themselves against insect bites. Some plant species

contain insecticidal and/or insect-repellent substances. A review by Sukumar

(1991) highlighted the potential of plants for use in mosquito control, either as

repellents, larvicides, or insecticides. Extracts of several plants—neem

(Azadirachta indica), basil (Ocimum basilicum), (Mentha piperata), and lemon

eucalyptus (Corymbia citriodora)—have been studied as possible mosquito

repellents and have demonstrated good efficacy against some mosquito species

(Sharma et al. 1993; Ansari et al. 2000; Trigg and Hill 1996).

This is related to the present study because the main product is a natural

compound like the researchers’ study.

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 Chapter III

Materials and Methods

A. Research Design

This study used the experimental design in which lemongrass was

blended. Then it was added with an citronella oil then the mixture was boiled

after. There are two set ups, A (lemongrass repellent) and B (commercial

product) and where treated with T-test to analyse the color, odor, price and

general acceptability. It was then evaluated by a panel of testers.

B. Experimental Set-up

Table 3.0 of the Coffee Samples from Avocado Seeds

Ingredients Sample A Sample B

Lemongrass 300 grams None

Commercial repellent None 5

Water 300 grams None

Citronella Oil 100 mL None

C. Materials and Equipment

 300 grams of lemongrass  Casserole

 Gas Range/ Stove  Container

 Measuring Cups  Water

 Measuring Spoons  Citronella Oil 50 m

 blender

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D. Flowchart of Procedures

Gathering of
Materials

Washing of
Materials

Mixing of the
components

Boiling of the
mixture

Draining of the
mixture

Packaging of the
product

Figure 3.0 Process Flow Chart in Lemongrass as Mosquito Repelnt

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D. General Procedure

1. Gathering of the materials.

All the materials were found in the researcher’s residence and the main

component was harvested at Quitalig’s residence

2. Washing of the materials.

All the materials and equipment was washed with running water.

3. Mixing of the components

Leave the chopped lemongrass on the blender and add the citronella oil

4. Boiling of the mixture

After blending the components, boil some water and add the mixtures.

5. Draining of the mixtures

Drain the product with the use of a strainer.

6. Packaging of the product

After finishing the process put the final product on the container.

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 E. Sampling Design

In this study, the researcher chose fifteen (15) evaluator who lives in a

place where mosquito dwells and the researcher would let the person evaluate

the product using Score Card for the characteristics and Hedonic Scale for

acceptability

F. Cost Analysis

The study Feasibility of Avocado seeds as Coffee not necessarily entail

expenses because the materials and equipment used in the study are found in

the household.

Table 3.1 Score Card Scale for the Characteristics of Coffee from Avocado
Seeds

Description

Rating
Odor Price
Color

5 Green Very Pleasant Very Affordable

4 Slightly Pleasant Slightly

Affordable
green

Light Slightly Slightly

3
Pleasant Expensive
Brown

2 Dark Unpleasant Expensive

brown
Very
1 Black Very expensive
Unpleasant

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 Table 3.2 Hedonic Scale for the Acceptability

Rating General Acceptability

9 Like Extremely
8 Like Very Much
7 Like Moderately
6 Like Slightly
5 Neither Like Nor Dislike
4 Dislike Slightly
3 Dislike Moderately
2 Dislike Very Much
1 Dislike Extremely

H. Product Evaluation

. The evaluators rated the desirable characteristics of each sample product by

using numerical rating from 1 – 5, where 5 is the highest and 1 is the lowest. Specific

descriptions per characteristics were laid out in Table 2 for easy evaluation and

minimize biases.

The general acceptability of the different samples was evaluated using Hedonic

Scale. The evaluators rated the samples from 1 – 9 where 1 corresponds to “dislike

extremely” which means least accepted and 9 corresponds to “like extremely” that

means the most accepted product as shown in Table 3.

I. Statistical Tools for Data Analysis

The researchers will use T-test in interpreting and analysing the data of

the study in comparing its effectiveness to a commercial product

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