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Extract of the seeds of the plant Vitex agnus castus proven to be highly efficacious as a repellent against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and biting flies

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Abstract

About 70 plant extracts were tested for their ability to repel the attacks of blood-sucking arthropods. It was found that a CO2 extract of the seeds of the Mediterranean plant Vitex agnus castus (monk’s pepper) can be used as a spray to keep away especially Ixodes ricinus and Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks from animals and humans for at least 6 h. In addition mosquitoes, biting flies and fleas are also repelled for about 6 h.

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References

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Correspondence to Heinz Mehlhorn.

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Extract of the seeds of the plant Vitex agnus castus is available as: Anticks—Trademark of Gimborn, Emmerich, Germany; Viticks-Cool—Trademark of Alpha-Biocare, Düsseldorf, Germany; Viticks-Cool-Plus with additional etheric oils—Trademark of Alpha-Biocare, Düsseldorf, Germany

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Mehlhorn, H., Schmahl, G. & Schmidt, J. Extract of the seeds of the plant Vitex agnus castus proven to be highly efficacious as a repellent against ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and biting flies. Parasitol Res 95, 363–365 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1297-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-004-1297-z

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