Catnip Lotion Rivals DEET in Mosquito Repellent Effectiveness
WHO:
The Guardian - Dr. Simon Scofield, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, led the study.
The Guardian - Swai Kyeba, a research entomologist from the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania, commented on the study.
WHAT:
The Guardian - A catnip lotion was found to be “just as effective as Deet” in repelling mosquitoes.
The Guardian - The study revealed that a 6% catnip oil was as effective as Deet, while a 2% catnip oil was only marginally less effective.
Phys.org - The catnip-based repellent is a cheaper alternative for preventive action against mosquito-borne diseases.
WHERE:
The Guardian - The trials were conducted in Uganda.
Phys.org - The project involved collaboration between researchers from Wales and Uganda.
WHEN:
The Guardian - The study was presented at the Society for Experimental Biology conference in Florence on a Tuesday.
The Guardian - Malaria killed 610,000 people in 2024, primarily young children in African countries.
WHY:
The Guardian - There are concerns about rising resistance to insecticides and frontline drugs used to treat malaria.
The Guardian - The goal was to create a highly effective repellent that is affordable for rural Ugandan subsistence farmers.
HOW:
The Guardian - Laboratory tests confirmed the effectiveness of catnip oil as an insect repellent.
The Guardian - Field tests involved checking how many mosquitoes landed on volunteers’ legs over an evening, comparing catnip lotion with Deet and placebo creams.
The Guardian - The lotion can be made locally by a community enterprise, and it has been distributed for free using grant funding.
(UPDATED July 7, 2026 17:47 UTC)
A recent study led by Dr. Simon Scofield from Cardiff University found that a catnip lotion is just as effective as Deet in repelling mosquitoes, with a 6% catnip oil performing on par with Deet and a 2% version being only slightly less effective. Conducted in Uganda, the research aims to provide a cost-effective alternative for rural farmers to combat mosquito-borne diseases, especially in light of rising resistance to traditional insecticides and the significant toll malaria has taken on young children in Africa. The catnip lotion, which can be produced locally and has been distributed for free through grant funding, was tested by observing how many mosquitoes landed on volunteers' legs compared to Deet and placebo creams.