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Before now, researchers had validated local herbs such as scent leaf, neem tree, Lantana camara, cloves, peels of citrus fruits, bush tea, thyme, lemon grass, and eucalyptus that could be effectively used in mosquito repellents.
To overcome growing resistance to World Health Organisation (WHO)-endorsed insecticides such as pyrethroids by vectors such as mosquitoes, scientists have advanced novel herbal-derived silver nanoparticles, garlic, ginger and turmeric.
A pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins, which are produced by the flowers of pyrethrums. Pyrethroids are used as commercial and household insecticides.