Disease-carrying mosquitoes are a major problem worldwide and are the cause of many deadly diseases such as yellow fever, Zika, dengue fever, malaria, and other viruses [1]. Up to 97% of disease-carrying species are resistant to common insecticides, including pyrethroids and carbamates [1]. Although mosquitoes are susceptible to organophosphates, their widespread use is detrimental to human health, causing 300,000 deaths globally each year [2].

In North America, consumers struggle to find an effective repellent amongst leading products on the market such as those containing DEET; this can be attributed to a surge in mosquito resistance developed against popular repellent compounds. Many also report experiencing an unpleasant sticky feeling after application of DEET, and some experience side effects such as skin rashes and blisters. DEET can also melt plastic, synthetic fabric, and sealants. Repellents made with alternatives to DEET like picaridin or natural alternatives such as citronella or eucalyptus offer very limited protection efficacy and duration, leaving environmentally minded consumers without any effective options.

Maneico is a natural, highly effective, clean and safe mosquito repellent using mangrove leaf extract that effectively targets disease and non-disease carrying mosquitoes. Research has shown that red mangrove leaf extract is as or more effective than DEET, the most common active ingredient in current mosquito repellents on the market. Peer reviewed studies have shown that mangrove leaf extract is highly effective and is both an excellent repellent and larvicidal against the main disease-carrying mosquitoes, including those that carry yellow fever, malaria, and filarial disease. Also, mangrove leaf extract has yet to be commercialized as a repellent on a large scale. Accordingly, mosquitos have yet to develop a resistance. Our repellent will last for 8-11 hours of 100% protection, far outperforming leading DEET products (2-6 hours) and leading natural products (1-3 hours).

[1]  C. M. Owusu-Asenso, J. A. A. Mingle, D. Weetman, and Y. A. Afrane, ‘Spatiotemporal distribution and insecticide resistance status of Aedes aegypti in Ghana’, Parasit Vectors, vol. 15, no. 1, p. 61, Feb. 2022, doi: 10.1186/s13071-022-05179-w.

[2]  E. L. Robb and M. B. Baker, ‘Organophosphate Toxicity’, in StatPearls, Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing, 2022. Accessed: Jan. 09, 2023. [Online]. Available: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470430/