Mosquito repellent lotion developed from atis leaves

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has developed a mosquito repellent lotion from the leaves of atis (sweet sop).

The PCHRD, one of the five sectoral councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), said the atis lotion mosquito repellent was formulated using the extracts of atis leaves mixed with other locally available materials.

The atis lotion is composed of 10.125 percent mineral oil, 1.02 percent sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, nine percent propylene glycol, 0.22 percent methyl paraben, 0.135 percent propyl paraben, 70 percent water, and 10 percent plant extract, the PCHRD said.

The PCHRD said studies revealed that the leaves, unripe fruit, and the seeds of atis (Anona squamosa) possess vermicidal and insecticidal properties.

It said the atis lotion is a practical alternative in preventing incidence of mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, malaria, and filariasis.

“The atis lotion mosquito repellent is a personal care product used in preventing mosquito bites which cause itchiness, inflammation and discomfort to individuals,” the PCHRD said.

A separate study found that the extract of the atis fruit has anti-microbial activity against some pathogenic microorganisms.

“It showed inhibitory activity against S aureus and S pneumoniae. Results conclude that the plant extract may serve as a valuable source of compounds with therapeutic antibiotic potentials,” it said.