Publication details
Terénní testy potenciálního přírodního repelentu proti klíšťatům (předběžné výsledky)
| Title in English | Field tests of a potential natural repellent against ticks (preliminary results) |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | Objective: The objective of our study was to conduct field tests of a mixture of substances contained in the rhizome of Curcuma longa as a potential natural repellent against ticks (with a focus on the common tick, Ixodes ricinus). The common tick is the most important carrier (vector) of medically important pathogens in the Czech Republic. Methods: The field flagging method was used in the area of the Brno-Pisárky suburban park. Two pieces of white cloth were used, which were simultaneously used to slide over the vegetation. One piece of fabric was treated with an alcoholic suspension of essential oil from the rhizome of long turmeric (supplier Phytos Natur CZ s. r. o.). The essential oil was applied in an amount of 0.8 mg/cm2. The second flag was not treated with the repellent mixture. Results: During flagging, 221 ticks were captured using the untreated flag, while only 2 ticks were captured on the flag treated with an alcoholic suspension of essential oil from the long rhizome of turmeric. Conclusion: Field tests follow on from successful in vitro laboratory tests (see Ševelová, 2022). An alcoholic suspension containing essential oil from the rhizome of turmeric proved to be a very effective tick repellent in field tests (?2 test, p < 0.00001). As part of further tests, we will determine the repellent effectiveness of the essential oil at lower concentrations. Considering the wide spectrum of other beneficial biological effects of the constituents of long turmeric, turmeric can be considered as a very promising source for the development of a new natural repellent against ticks. |