The potential of essential oils as mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) bio-repellents: a systematic review

Controlling culicid-borne diseases remains a global public health challenge. While public health actions are vital, individual protection via repellents is essential. Concerns regarding synthetic compounds such as DEET have intensified the search for sustainable plant-derived alternatives. This systematic review analyzed 33 experimental studies that were published from 2020 to 2024. A comprehensive search was performed on SciELO, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and LILACS using the keywords "Repellency," "Essential Oils," and "Mosquitoes." Data were independently selected and extracted to evaluate protection time and repellency percentages. The included studies showed low risk of methodological bias according to SYRCLE. Results showed that most of the tested essential oils possess high protective potential. Species such as Perilla frutescens, Leucas stachydiformis, Cymbopogon nardus, and Eucalyptus camaldulensis achieved up to 100% repellency, with protection exceeding eight hours. The cage test was the predominant laboratory method. Essential oils are promising, effective alternatives to synthetic repellents, offering reduced environmental and toxicological impacts. However, this evidence is based on controlled laboratory conditions rather than field trials. This limitation may affect real-world effectiveness, and further research in natural environments is recommended to validate these results for commercial application.