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Repellency to ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of extracts of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) and the anti-inflammatory DogsBestFriend™

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Abstract

Motivated by observations that the canine anti-inflammatory cream DogsBestFriend™ (DBF) appeared to deter flies, mosquitoes, and ticks from treated animals, repellent efficacy bioassays using four species of ticks were conducted with three extracts of Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae), a constituent of DBF. The DBF cream was tested against nymphs of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (L.). In vertical filter paper assays, the three extracts applied at 0.413 mg extract/cm2 filter paper repelled 96.7–100 % of brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) nymphs, whereas, at the same rate, only one extract repelled >90 % A. americanum nymphs. Adult (mixed sexes) American dog ticks, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), required a higher concentration to be repelled effectively; two extracts, applied at 0.827 mg extract/cm2 filter paper, repelled ≥90 % of the D. variabilis. In contrast, all extracts applied at much lower concentration (0.206 mg extract/cm2 filter paper) repelled 100 % adult blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis Say (only females tested). Of the two more repellent extracts, one lost most of its activity against A. americanum nymphs in <4 h when applied at 0.827 mg extract/cm2 filter paper, whereas the other repelled 66.7 % of the nymphs at 192 h after application. At 0.206 mg extract/cm2 filter paper, one extract was as repellent as deet against A. americanum nymphs. In a vertical bioassay in which nylon organdy was substituted for filter paper, DBF, at the rates of 1.67 and 0.835 mg cream/cm2, repelled 76.7 and 30.0 % A. americanum nymphs, respectively. These findings indicate that when applied appropriately DBF should afford some protection to canines against tick bites.

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Acknowledgments

We thank James McCrary, USDA, ARS, Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, USA, for conducting behavioral bioassays.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Brookton Labs, 53B Brown Road, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA

    J. G. Babish & L. M. Pacioretty

  2. USDA, ARS, Statistics Group, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA

    M. Kramer

  3. 4002 September Song Drive, Manchaca, TX, 78652, USA

    J. F. Carroll

Authors
  1. J. F. Carroll
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  2. J. G. Babish
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  3. L. M. Pacioretty
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  4. M. Kramer
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Kramer.

Additional information

J. F. Carroll is retired from USDA, ARS, Invasive Insect Biocontrol and Behavior Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, MD, 20705, USA.

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Carroll, J.F., Babish, J.G., Pacioretty, L.M. et al. Repellency to ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) of extracts of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) and the anti-inflammatory DogsBestFriend™. Exp Appl Acarol 70, 89–97 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-016-0058-x

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