Insect repellent can be more than a tool that helps us avoid mosquito bites. It can also help prevent the transmission of diseases. However, the repellent that you buy at your local pharmacy or grocery store might contain several substances that can harm your entire system. Neem has been studied as an effective and affordable solution to prevent mosquito bites.
Traditional Repellents
Bug repellents are made up of two types of ingredients: active ingredients and inert ingredients. Active ingredients are the active repelling chemicals and must appear on the label. Inert ingredients are everything else in the products and can range from solvents and preservatives to anti-caking or foaming agents. None of these inert ingredients are required to be listed on the label.
Active Ingredients of Concern:
- DEET: An acronym for N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide and one of the most common bug repellents that also repels ticks. Large doses have been linked to skin blisters, seizures, memory loss, headaches, stiffness in joints, shortness of breath, skin irritation and neurotoxicity.
- Cyfluthrin: Cyfluthrin is linked to neurotoxicity, loss of coordination, muscle trembling, behavior changes, decreased glucose and red blood cells, disruption of liver function, and behavior changes after exposure in the womb.
- Permethrin: Permethrin is linked to neurotoxicity, which acts on sodium ion channels, which can cause repeated nerve impulses. At high levels, it can affect the function of chloride channels, which may result in seizures.
- Pyrethroids: They can easily cross the blood-brain-barrier and can thus, become toxic to the central nervous system. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies synthetic pyrethroids as neuro-poisons, and acute reactions to pyrethroids include dermatitis and asthma-like reactions, nausea, incoordination and burning and itching sensations. The most severe poisoning cases have been reported in infants.
Neem as a Repellent
The Neem tree has pesticidal, larvicidal, antifeedant or repellant action on various insects, including mosquitos, fleas and ticks. Diluted neem oil has been studied as an efficient method of repelling mosquitoes in areas where malaria is common. Studies with other species of mosquitos have also shown the efficiency of neem in significantly reducing, or completely preventing, insect bites through consistent application.
Although neem is also used to treat large-scale pests, some people think that it is not safe as a bug repellent, however, neem is 100% safe for humans and the environment. There are several brands of repellents that use neem as an active ingredient.
So next time you want to fight off insects, reach for a neem repellent.
The post Repellent: How Neem Fights Mosquitoes and Diseases Better appeared first on Neem.World.
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