CDC Says Lemon Eucalyptus As Effective As DEET

original articles:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/05/cdc-confirms-lemon-eucalyptus-oil-as-effective-as-deet.php?campaign=daily_nl

http://mattermore.org/2011/05/02/cdc-says-lemon-eucalyptus-as-effective-as-deet

snippets:

In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes found in the US it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET

Dr. Mohammed Abou-Donia of Duke University studied lab animals' performance of neuro-behavioural tasks requiring muscle co-ordination. He found that lab animals exposed to the equivalent of average human doses of DEET performed far worse than untreated animals.

Children with DEET toxicity reported lethargy, headaches, tremors, involuntary movements, seizures, and convulsions though the amount that led to this toxicity was unreported, according to the CDC.

Another plus, lemon eucalyptus doesn’t have the oily feel and unpleasant smell of DEET products. Look for products that contain the active ingredient p-Menthane-3,8-diol, such as Cutter Lemon Eucalyptus Pump 4oz, $7.95 which can repel mosquitoes and ticks for up to 6 hours.