Tomatoes Are Source for Safer Insect Repellent

Researchers have isolated a substance from tomatoes that repels mosquitoes and other insects more effectively than DEET (N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), the chemical most commonly used in insect repellents, and with fewer harmful side effects.

Use of the substance called IBI-246 as an insect repellent has been patented by its discoverers at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, USA), and a license for its manufacture has been granted to Insect Biotechnology Inc. (Durham, NC, USA), a company that specializes in developing and marketing biochemical insecticides.

Although DEET is considered safe for normal use by adults, it has been associated with rashes, swelling and itching, eye irritation and, less frequently, slurred speech, confusion and seizures. Products with high concentrations of DEET are considered hazardous to children.


The tomato extract, IBI-246, is already used in the manufacture of cosmetics, so its toxicity has already been studied. "What this means is that the toxicology has been done, which is a big step toward commercialization,” said Dr. Michael Roe. "It is found in tomatoes, it is natural, it can be obtained organically, it is safe, and it is at least as effective as DEET--all features that the public would want for a new-generation insect repellent.”



Related Links:
North Carolina State University
Insect Biotechnology Inc.