Abstract
In Argentina, field populations of the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) have developed resistance to permethrin and other pyrethroids. Thus, the aim of this work was the development of a lotion containing essential oils from plants and an alcoholic coadjuvant to improve biological effect. Ethanol + isopropanol (1 + 1 in volume) 50% in water and ethanol 96% were taken as bases for preparation of experimental lotions containing essential oils from plants. We found that experimental lotions containing lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus oils in a 5% composition and the combination of eucalyptus and peppermint in a total concentration of 10%, dissolved in 50% ethanol + isopropanol (1 + 1) in water, showed the best knockdown effect. On the other side, lotion containing peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil (1 + 1) 10%, dissolved in ethanol 96%, showed to be as effective as the best commercial lotion now available in Argentina. Furthermore, addition of 1-dodecanol in all cases increased the effectiveness of all the experimental lotions. This difference is significantly important for 1-dodecanol concentration of 10%, reaching a toxic activity compared to the best commercial lotion available in the market.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbot WS (1925) A method of computing the effectiveness of an insecticide. J Econ Entomol 18:265–267
Burkhart CN, Burkhart CG (2001) Recommendation to standardize pediculicidal and ovicidal testing for head lice (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Med Entomol 38(2):127–129
Burgess I (1995) Pediculus humanus capitis in schoolchildren. Lancet 345:730–731
Downs A M, Stafford KA, Hunt LP, Ravenscroft JC, Coles GC (2002) Widespread insecticide resistance in head lice to the over-the-counter pediculicides in England, and the emergence of carbaryl resistance. Br J Dermatol 146:88–93
González Audino P, Barrios S, Vassena C, Mougabure Cueto G, Zerba E, Picollo MI (2005) Increased monooxygenase activity associated with resistance to permethrin in Pediculus h. capitis De Geer (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) from Argentina. J Med Entomol 42:342–345
Hemingway J, Miller J, Mumcuoglu KY (1999) Pyrethroid resistance mechanism in the head louse Pediculus capitis from Israel: implications for control. Med Vet Entomol 13:89–96
Isman MB (1999) Pesticides based on plant essential oils. Pestic Outlook 10(2):68–72
Kasai S, Mihara M, Takahashi M, Agui N, Tomita T (2003) Rapid evaluation of human lice susceptibility to phenothrin. Med Entomol Zool 54:31–36
Lee S, Peterson CJ, Coats JR (2003) Fumigation toxicity of monoterpenoids to several stored product insects. J Stored Prod Res 39:77–85
Mougabure Cueto G, Gonzalez Audino P, Vassena C, Picollo MI, Zerba E (2002) Toxic effect of aliphatic alcohols against suceptible and permethrin-resistant Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Med Entomol 39(3):457–460
Mougabure Cueto G, Zerba E, Picollo MI (2006) Permethrin resistant head lice in Argentine are susceptible to spinosad. J Med Entomol 43(3):634–635
Mumcuoglu KY, Miller J, Galun R (1990) Susceptibility of the human head lice and body louse, Pediculus humanus to insecticides. Insect Sci Appl 11:223–226
Picollo MI, Vassena C, Casadío A, Mássimo J, Zerba E (1998) Laboratory studies about susceptibility and resistance to insecticides in the head lice Pediculus capitis. J Med Entomol 35:814–817
Picollo MI, Vassena C, Mougabure Cueto G, Vernetti M, Zerba E (2000) Resistance to insecticides and effect of synergists on permethrin toxicity in Pediculus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae) from Buenos Aires. J Med Entomol 37:721–725
Pollack RJ, Kiszewski A, Armstrong P, Hahn C, Wolfe N, Rahman H, Laserson K, Telford S, Spielman A (1999) Differential permethrin susceptibility of head lice sampled in the United States and Borneo. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 153:969–973
Rice PJ, Coats JR (1994) Insecticidal properties of several monoterpenoids to the house fly (Diptera: Muscidae), red flour beetle (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), and Southern corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). J Econ Entomol 87:1172–1179
Tapondjou AL, Adler C, Fontem DA, Bouda H, Recihmuth C (2005) Bioactivities of cymol and essential oils of Cupressus sempervirens and Eucalyptus saligna against Sitophilus zeamais motschulsky and Tribolium confusum du Val. J Stored Prod Res 41:91–102
Toloza AC, Zygadlo J, Mougabure Cueto G, Biurrun F, Zerba E, Picollo M (2006) Fumigant and repellent properties of essential oils and components against permethrin-resistance Pediculus h. capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Med Entomol 43(5):889–895
Vassena CV, Mougabure Cueto G, González Audino P, Alzogaray RA, Zerba EN, Picollo MI (2003) Prevalence and levels of permethrin resistance in Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer (Anoplura: Pediculidae) from Buenos Aires, Argentina. J Med Entomol 40:447–450
Yang Y, Lee S, Lee W, Choi D, Ahn Y (2003) Ovicidal and adulticidal effects of Eugenia caryophyllata bud and leaf oil compounds on Pediculus capitis. J Agric Food Chem 51:4884–4888
Yang Y, Lee H, Clark JM, Ahn Y (2004) Insecticidal activity of plant essential oils against Pediculus humanus capitis (Anoplura: Pediculidae). J Med Entomol 41:699–704
Acknowledgments
We are especially grateful to Mercedes Mantesi, Isabel Cañete and Rosa Flores from Hogar Belgrano. This investigation received financial support from ELEA S.A. (Argentina) and the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica (Argentina).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gonzalez Audino, P., Vassena, C., Zerba, E. et al. Effectiveness of lotions based on essential oils from aromatic plants against permethrin resistant Pediculus humanus capitis . Arch Dermatol Res 299, 389–392 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-007-0772-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-007-0772-7