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Scientists discover why catnip is a powerful mosquito repellent • Earth com

03-04-2021 By Earth.com staff writer Catnip is a perennial herb in the mint family that is best known for its calming effect on cats. This plant has also been established as a powerful mosquito repellent, and a new study from Northwestern University confirms that natural compounds found in catnip are more effective than those found in synthetic insect repellents like DEET.  Prior to this study, it was unknown exactly why catnip works as a deterrent to mosquitoes and other insects. The researchers have now had a breakthrough, identifying protein receptors in insects that cause an adverse reaction. “Catnip and its active ingredient, Nepetalactone, have been used for millennia to ward off insect pests, at least since the time of Pliny the Elder,” said study co-author Professor Marcus C. Stensmyr of Lund University. “But why catnip is so potent on such a broad range of insect species has remained unknown.”

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