Fw: Cinnamon and catnip are great for mosquitoes

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Saturday, August 07, 2004 7:56 AM

Cinnamon and catnip are great for mosquitoes

 

 

Cinnamon Oil Better for Killing Mosquitoes Than DEET

 

 

 

According to a study, cinnamon oil was found to be an effective

environmentally safe pesticide that also exuded a pleasant odor.

 

Although it hasn't been tested for use against adult mosquitoes,

researchers are hopeful that cinnamon oil will act as an effective mosquito

repellant.

 

Along with being an annoyance to summer outdoor enthusiasts, mosquitoes

also pose the threat of potentially major health problems because of the deadly

agents they carry such as malaria, yellow fever and the West Nile virus.

 

The serious health and environmental concerns that arose from the use of

unsafe conventional pesticide applications have prompted the search for natural

and healthier chemicals to control mosquito larvae.

 

In a study, researchers tested 11 compounds that contained cinnamon leaf

oil to determine how effective they were at destroying the emerging larvae

produced by the yellow fever mosquito. It was discovered that the following four

compounds, cinnamalaehyde, cinnamyl acetate, eugenol and anethole displayed the

most aggressive activity against the yellow fever mosquito.

 

The compound, cinnamaldehyde, which is the main constituent found in

cinnamon leaf oil, could be used as an effective pesticide without the risk of

negative health and environmental consequences.

 

EurekAlert July 14, 2004

 

 

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

DEET, the active chemical in most mosquito repellants, is a deadly and

potent neurotoxin and should not be used. Cinnamon oil appears very promising,

is inexpensive and even smells great. Other common essential oils, such as

catnip, have shown similar promise in fighting off mosquitoes as well.

 

The pesticides that are being used to fight the West Nile Virus are surely

going to contribute to a number of diseases, so it's promising to see that

researchers are looking into other safe and natural pesticides.

 

Releasing toxic chemicals into the environment can have devastating

effects. The major tragedy of the West Nile Virus is not the virus itself--it

has not spread to epidemic proportions like a number of other chronic

diseases--but rather the damage that is being done to people and their young and

unborn children through exposure to these toxic chemicals.

 

Further, pesticides, including commonly used lawn care chemicals, are

causing more bird deaths than the West Nile Virus. In one study on the West Nile

Virus, more of the collected birds had died from pesticide poisoning than from

the virus itself.

 

The symptoms of pesticide poisoning in humans are similar to the rather

vague symptoms of the West Nile Virus itself, which are inflammation of the

brain, weakness and neuropathy (peripheral nerve damage), leading to symptoms

such as numbness. These could be mistakenly diagnosed as West Nile Virus,

therefore creating more cases and a call for more intense spraying of

pesticides.

 

Related Articles:

 

Are Pesticides the Cure or the Cause for West Nile Virus?

 

Scientists Plan To Wipe Out Malaria With GM Mosquitoes

 

Blowing the Whistle on West Nile

 

Reports from Midwest Indicate Possibly Massive Bird Die-Off

 

Pesticides Targeting West Nile-Carrying Mosquitoes May be a Thyroid Danger

 

How Many Dangerous Pesticides are in Your Body?