Latin America: Tauroniro tree is latest greatest natural insect reppellent
A natural compound found in the Tauroniro tree (Humiria balsamifera)
of South America, has been identified as an effective deterrent of
mosquitoes and ticks, report researchers writing in the latest issue
of Journal of Medical Entomology. Tauroniro — which is also known as
Bastard bulletwood, Oloroso, Couramira, or Turanira — is found in
marshy forests in the Guianas, Colombia, Venezuela, and the Brazilian
Amazon, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Click link for full text/increase funding for writer/producer of these
words: http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0205-repellent.html
Derivatives of the compound have long been used as fragrances in
cosmetics, perfumes, deodorants, and paper products, but new
processing methods may make it as inexpensive to produce as DEET, a
potent and widely available synthetic insect repellent that works by
blocking the aroma of human sweat. The authors, led by Aijun Zhang of
the USDA’s Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, found
that isolongifolenone deters the biting of the mosquitoes Aedes
aegypti and Anopheles stephensi “more effectively than the widely used
synthetic chemical repellent N,N-diethyl-3-methyl benzamide (DEET) in
laboratory bioassays” and repels blacklegged ticks and lone star ticks
“as effectively as DEET”.
Since “isolongifolenone is easily synthesized from inexpensive turpentine oil feedstock,” the authors write, “we are therefore confident that the compound has significant potential as an inexpensive and safe repellent for protection of large human populations against blood-feeding arthropods.”
Click link for full text/increase funding for writer/producer of these
words: http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0205-repellent.html
Keep this blog going by keeping it growing: Comment, email, repost,
share this…