Maluggay Extract as Mosquito Repellant

Introduction Background of the Study Dengue, also known as breakbone fever, played a fatal role in the Philippine economy for the previous years. More than sixty two thousand dengue cases were recorded last year and more than five hundred patients have died. No existing treatment has been approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) to completely turn down the virus once it starts infecting a patient; therefore prevention had been the point of action of the community in the past decades.They used natural ways of prevention like restraining themselves from keeping piled water within their area and artificial ways like using insect repellants or mosquito killers. Another problem came into existence; the deprived people who lacked information on how to naturally prevent mosquitoes and lived in insanitary dwelling places were also those who could not afford to buy insecticides when the demand for one rises due to the great number of mosquitoes in their areas.

As a response, the researchers then deliberated on how to make a mosquito killer that could be made manually by any individual yet comprises effectiveness similar to that of a commercially-prepared product. Statement of the Problem/Objective The researcher thought of using malunggay (Moringa oleifera) root extract as their subject for the alternative mosquito killer. They tried to test its effectiveness in terminating mosquitoes since it was non-existent at the time and they tested it on different concentrations in order to attain organized results for the product.They would like to know if in what concentration of the extract it would be best effective against mosquitoes. Hypothesis If the malunggay root extract displayed an efficient insecticidal property, then the malunggay root extract is possible to be a primary ingredient in producing mosquito killers. Significance of the Study The research would be beneficial for those who could not afford a commercial mosquito killer considering that the process of obtaining it is by manual labor.

If its effectiveness against mosquitoes proved to be authentic, it could be used as a mosquito repellent and killer and would greatly reduce the chances of an individual to be infected by Dengue. Scope and Limitation of the Study The study was conducted from June 2011 to July 2011 under the same environmental conditions. The experiment would be limited only as being an alternative for mosquito killer. Test would only be done to mosquitoes. Review of Related LiteratureMalunggay (Moringa oleifera), also called Moringa, is a very useful tree that grows wildly in continents with tropical climates just like the Philippines.

Each part of it has its own use; the leaves and flowers are used in making nutritious food and in medicinal preparations, the seeds are used as nutritional supplements, the pods are used for treating water supplies and treating minor skin inflammations and infections, the stem is used in making paper, ropes, mats, rugs, and clothing since its stem is lightweight compared to other trees usually used for construction thus making it unadvisable for such uses.The roots, however, are seldom used for food because its bark contains chemical compounds like Moringinine, Moringine, Pterygospermin, Phytosterols, and other compounds that are hazardous in high concentrations. Furthermore, the roots contain an alkaloid spirochin which is a fatal nerve - paralyzing agent that dangerous when taken in large amounts but exhibits anti-bacterial properties in small amounts. Moringinines acts as cardiac stimulant, produces rise of blood-pressure, acts on sympathetic nerve-endings as well as smooth muscles all over the body, and depresses the sympathetic motor fibers of vessels.Mosquitoes (Genus Aedes) are insects that are vectors of diseases caused by viruses such as dengue, malaria, west Nile virus, and many more.

Many people often mistake mosquitoes as natural - born disease carriers wherein mosquitoes only cause diseases when it bites a host which has already been infected with a certain virus, they will eventually carry the pathogens and transmit it to other hosts, therefore causing more hosts to be infected by the virus. But not all mosquitoes suck blood from hosts, only female mosquitoes suck blood considering only they need proteins found in a vertebrate animal’s blood to produce eggs.Adult mosquitoes, especially male, can live for several weeks given enough carbohydrates enabling them to survive while feeding on fruit juices and nectar only. And a female mosquito’s average lifespan is 3 to 100 days while a male’s average lifespan is limited to 20 to 30 days.

A mosquito has three basic body segments. The head comprises all the sensors of a mosquito along with the proboscis which is designed for sucking blood. Mosquitoes track down hosts using their sensors. With their chemical sensors, they can sense carbon dioxide within 36 feet when a host breathes.They are known to gain sight of a host when its clothes’ color contrasts its surroundings, especially when the host is in motion. Also, with their heat sensors, they are able to easily detect warm – blooded mammals when they are close enough.

“Sales, et al. applied different concentrations of their plant extract on their sample to test the insecticidal property of yellow olander fruit extracts. The researchers noted that varying concentrations of the extract and the duration of exposure of the sample bugs to the extract. ”