A common herb that makes cats go wild may also keep mosquitoes away just as well as the gold standard chemical repellent. Researchers found that a lotion made from catnip oil matched Deet in preventing bites from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the species that spreads dengue, Zika and chikungunya.
The study that pitted catnip against Deet
Scientists at Rutgers University in the United States tested the catnip lotion against a 15 percent Deet formulation in a controlled lab setting. They applied each repellent to the arms of human volunteers and then exposed them to mosquitoes. The catnip lotion provided complete protection for two hours, the same duration as the Deet product. After that, protection gradually declined for both.
The active compound in catnip, called nepetalactone, is what triggers the euphoric response in cats. But in mosquitoes, it appears to activate a sensory receptor that makes the insects avoid the treated skin. The researchers published their findings in the journal Scientific Reports.
Why this matters beyond the lab
Deet has been the most widely used mosquito repellent for decades, but some people dislike its strong smell, greasy feel or potential skin irritation. Catnip offers a plant based alternative that could be more pleasant to use. The study authors noted that catnip oil is already classified as safe for human use by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Local communities in areas where mosquito borne diseases are common may benefit from having another affordable option. The researchers said the catnip lotion could be produced at low cost and might be especially useful in tropical regions where Aedes aegypti is a major public health threat.
What the findings mean for everyday protection
The study did not test the catnip lotion in real world conditions like high heat or heavy sweating. The researchers cautioned that more field trials are needed before catnip based repellents can be recommended as a direct replacement for Deet. They also noted that the lotion formulation used in the lab may differ from commercial products.
Still, the results suggest that a natural compound found in a common garden plant can perform on par with a synthetic chemical that has dominated the market for half a century. The next step is to see whether catnip lotion holds up when people are actually outdoors, sweating and moving around.
