In a groundbreaking development, scientists have discovered that a lotion made from catnip oil can be just as effective as Deet in repelling mosquitoes. This finding could be a game-changer in the fight against malaria, particularly in rural areas of Uganda where access to commercial repellents is limited.
The study, presented at the Society for Experimental Biology conference in Florence on Tuesday, involved researchers from Cardiff University and the Ifakara Health Institute. They found that mosquitoes were less likely to land on people wearing lotions made from catnip, offering a promising new tool in the battle against malaria.
Catnip oil: a cost-effective alternative to Deet
The chemical nepetalactone, found in catnip, has long been known to repel insects. However, this is the first time it has been commercialized as a mosquito repellent. The study found that a 6% concentration of catnip oil was just as effective as Deet, while a 2% concentration was only marginally less effective.
Dr Simon Scofield, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, explained that Deet is often too expensive for rural Ugandan subsistence farmers. ‘We wanted to make a repellent that is highly efficacious but also allows local people to be involved in the production cycle so that it costs a minimal amount of money,’ he said.
The study also found that the lotion could be made locally by a community enterprise, offering a sustainable income for workers. The next phase of the project will see production increased and the lotion sold to create a self-sustaining system.
The fight against malaria: a pressing global health issue
Malaria, spread by mosquitoes, infects about 282 million people a year and killed 610,000 in 2026. The majority of these deaths are young children in African countries. There are concerns about rising resistance to insecticides and the frontline drugs used to treat the disease.
Swai Kyeba, a research entomologist from the Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania, said that new vector-control tools are necessary in the fight against malaria, especially those that are cheap and locally produced. However, he noted that a challenge with topical repellents is low compliance because they require regular application.
Kyeba urged further research on Ugandan households using currently available repellents before the catnip lotion production is scaled up. He emphasized that topical repellents remain a complementary tool in the fight against malaria.
Local production and community involvement
The study also highlighted the potential for local production and community involvement in the production of the catnip lotion. So far, the lotion has been distributed for free using grant funding. However, the next phase of the project will see production increased and the lotion sold to create a sustainable income for workers.
Dr Scofield explained that once the repellent can be sold and distributed at a low cost, it should generate a self-sustaining system where the money is flowing back to everybody at each stage in the development. This could offer a significant boost to local economies and improve access to effective mosquito repellents.
The Deet lotion used for comparison in the trial contains 15% Deet and is the most widely available in Uganda. Travellers from the UK visiting malaria-endemic regions are advised to use stronger repellents of at least 50% Deet.
