Sivakumar B

Mosquitoes are a major vector for diseases such as malaria, dengue, and yellow fever. Mosquito repellents today contain many synthetic chemicals, such as DEET, picardin, and permethrin. To safely repel mosquitoes, less effective alternatives made from essential oils have been used. To try to increase the effectiveness of the essential oil repellents, tests were conducted to find out if the essential oils have increased effectiveness when used in conjunction to each other. It was hypothesized that the essential oil mixture containing lemon eucalyptus and rosemary would make the most effective mosquito repellent. To test the hypothesis, a custom-made mosquito testing chamber with an aquarium warmer was used. A sugar based attractor and the prospective repellent solution were placed on a piece of cloth, which was tied to the aquarium warmer. The aquarium warmer was then placed into the testing chamber, where the mosquitoes resided. The effectiveness of the mosquito repellent was determined by the number of landings on the aquarium warmer over time. The results showed that the mosquito repellent made from Bael and eucalyptus was the most effective mosquito repellent.

Plants have been an exemplary source of medicine. Ayurveda, traditional medicine, tribal medicine and other literatures mention the use of plants in the treatment of various human ailments. Researches conducted in the last few decades on  exploring crude drugs mentioned in ancient literature or used traditionally for treating diseases is increasing. The term ginseng refers to the species within Panax, a genus of 11 species of slow growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, in the family Araliaceae. These plants grown in eastern Asia, typically in cooler climates. The two major species are American ginseng (grown in the Midwest of America and exported to China) and Asian ginseng. Ginseng is known to be an adaptogen – adaptogens are substances that help the body to restore itself to health and to work without side effects. The present paper summarizes the traditional uses and pharmacological actions of the roots and rhizomes of ginseng.