Essential Oils and Bioproducts for Flea Control: A Critical Review

Fleas have major veterinary and public health relevance by causing dermatopathies and transmitting zoonotic agents. The limitations and environmental impact of synthetic insecticides have driven the search for safer and more sustainable tick control alternatives, such as essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive compounds. We conducted searches in the PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases (May-August 2025), using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in 25 studies. The species investigated most was Ctenocephalides felis, followed by Xenopsylla cheopis. The most common botanical families were Lamiaceae, Cupressaceae, Rutaceae, and Lauraceae, comprising 48 plant species. For C. felis, the EOs of Cinnamomum spp., Ocimum gratissimum, Syzygium aromaticum and Piper aduncum showed the most pronounced insecticidal effects, as did their bioactive compounds cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, and dillapiole, respectively. For X. cheopis, the EOs of Cinnamomum verum, Calocedrus decurrens, and Salvia rosmarinus were the most effective. Essential oils from different plant species also exhibited repellent activity against C. felis, Pulex irritans and Diamanus montanus. In summary, essential oils and their bioactive compounds have promising potential for the control of fleas of medical and veterinary importance, representing sustainable alternatives with reduced environmental impacts.