Phytochemical screening and repellence potencies of bioactive molecules of plant extracts derived from Ocimum suave, Ocimum americanum and Eucalyptus citriodora against Anopheles gambiae

Abstract

Malaria poses a global threat to human health. It’s a vector-borne disease of public health concern and affects the socio-economic status of people in developing countries. Malaria management faces many challenges namely, affordability, availability, and quality of drugs. Plants are considered a very significant resource in many parts of the world due to their variety of uses in treating diseases and ailments. Conventional drugs are expensive and not readily available. Repellents have been in use for the prevention of Anopheles bites, but all these have a myriad of negative effects to the user, such as allergy and dermatitis. This study sought to develop a plant- based Anopheles gambiae repellent for control of malaria, because it is eco-friendly and non-toxic.