Repellency effects of essential oils of myrtle [myrtus communis], marigold [Calendula officinalis] compared with DEET against anopheles stephensi on human volunteers

Malaria and leishmaniasis are two most significant parasitic diseases which are endemic in Iran. Over the past decades, interest in botanical repellents has increased as a result of safety to human. The comparative efficacy of essential oils of two native plants, myrtle [Myrtus communis] and marigold [Calendula officinalis] collected from natural habitats at southern Iran was compared with DEET as synthetic repellent against Anopheles stephensi on human subjects under laboratory condition. Essential oils from two species of native plants were obtained by Clevenger-type water distillation. The protection time of DEET, marigold and myrtle was assessed on human subject using screened cage method against An. stephensi. The effective dose of 50% essential oils of two latter species and DEET were determined by modified ASTM method. ED[50] and ED[90] values and related statistical parameters were calculated by probit analysis. The protection time of 50% essential oils of marigold and myrtle were respectively 2.15 and 4.36 hours compared to 6.23 hours for DEET 25%. The median effective dose [ED[50]] of 50% essential oils was 0.1105 and 0.6034 mg/cm[2] respectively in myrtle and marigold. The figure for DEET was 0.0023 mg/cm[2]. This study exhibited that the repellency of both botanical repellents was generally lower than DEET as a synthetic repellent. However the 50% essential oil of myrtle showed a moderate repellency effects compared to marigold against An. stephensi

Effectiveness of ultrasound and ultraviolet irradiation on degradation of carbaryl from aqueous solutions

Carbaryl [1-naphthyl-N-methyl carbamate] is a chemical in the carbamate family used chiefly as an insecticide. It is a cholinesterase inhibitor and is toxic to humans and classified as a likely human carcinogen. In the present study, the degradation of the carbaryl pesticide was investigated in the laboratory synthetic samples of tap water, in the effect of sonolysis and photolysis processes. This study was conducted during 2006-7 in Chemistry and Biochemistry of Pesticides Laboratory in Tehran University of Medical Sciences [TUMS] in Iran. The carbaryl [80%] was used for preparing samples. First concentration of all samples were 4 mg/l. Sonochemical examinations in ultrasound reactor was done in two 35, 130 Hz, and 100 w, and three time. Photolysis examinations has done in the effect of 400 w lamp and moderate pressure and 6 time, then the amount of pesticide in the samples has been measured by the High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography [HPTLC] method. The highest degradation in photolysis process after 1 hour in the 35 KHz was 35%, and in the 130 KHz was 63%. Degradation of carbaryl at 130 KHz is higher than 35 KHz at the same time. Carbaryl elimination was increased by arise frequency and exposure time. After 8 min in photolysis, 100% omitting has been showed. Degradation of carbaryl in high frequency ultrasound wavelength was more than low frequency. Degradation of carbaryl in water, combination of high frequency ultrasound wave length and UV irradiation was considerably more effective than ultrasound or ultraviolet irradiation alone

Arthropod borne diseases in imposed war during 1980

Personnel of military forces have close contact with natural habitat and usually encounter with bite of arthropods and prone to be infected with arthropod borne diseases. The imposed war against Iran was one of the most important and the longest war in the Middle East and even in the world and military people faced various diseases. The aim of this study was to review prevalence of arthropod borne diseases and to collect relevant information and valuable experiences during the imposed war. The present survey is a historical research and cross-sectional study, focused on arthropod fauna, situation of different arthropod borne diseases and also the ways which military personnel used to protect themselves against them. The information was adopted from valid military health files and also interviewing people who participated in the war. Scabies, cutaneous leishmaniasis, sandfly fever and pediculosis were more prevalent among other arthropod -borne diseases in Iran-Iraq war. Measures to control arthropods and diseases at wartime mainly included: scheduled spraying of pesticides, leishmanization and treatment of patients. Although measures used during the war to control arthropods were proper, however, due to needs and importance of military forces to new equipment and technologies, it is recommended to use deltamethrin-impregnated bed net, permethrin treated military uniforms and various insect repellents in future

[ efficacy of Iranian and foreign dimethyl phthalate lotion and trench oinment against Anopheles stephensi in laboratory conditions]

Background: The use of repellents is an important mean of personal protection against biting insects, as well as for combating diseases transmission by reducing man-vector contact. Although N, N- diethyl-3-mtoluamide [DEET] has effective and commonly used, but a number of biting Diptera are tolerant to DEET. In addition, there are some concerns about the safety of DEET and their allergic and toxic effects. Therefore, attend to other repellents. This study evaluated dimethyl phthalate [DMP], which was synthetized in Iran, for protection time [PT] against Anopheles stephensi and compared its efficacy whit two repellents foreign DMP and Trench oinment, under laboratory condition

Materials and methods: This study was conducted to determine the repellent protection time and failure time [FT] by Barnard [1999] method

Results: Our results indicated that PT of Iranian DMP against An.stephensi was 274+/- 8.04 which is no significant differences whit two others repellents. There were significant differences in FT among three repellents. The FT of Iranian DMP was significantly less than two other repellents

Conclusions: Iranian DMP lotion is comparable with foreign DMP lotion, but it needs to promote and to be increased repellent FT

efficacy of permethrin-treated military uniforms as a personal protection against culex pipiens [diptera: culicidae] and its environmental consequences

Naturally, there are different species of Culex mosquitoes in Iran. Culex pipiens complex is widespread in many parts of the country, specially in urban areas. In spite of this fact that Cx. pipiens species is the vector of some orboviruses and filariasis in many countries of the World, it does not have an important role in transmission of diseases in Iran. This species can easily reproduce in urban areas, due to the infection of surface waters and presence of sewage canals. The importance of Cx.pipiens for mankind is in fact, its biting and nuisance, specially at sleeping time. In this study, six types of current military uniforms of Iran's army were treated by permethrin [0.125 mg. permethrin [AI]/cm2] and examined against the biting of natural population of Cx.pipiens in urban areas in Tehran. Eight volunteer were selected for this study. Six of them put on the treated uniforms and the other two of them wore the untreated uniforms. All the subjects participated in the night biting test for eight active nights July 2004. There was no significant difference in the protection of different treated uniforms against mosquitoes biting. The average number of biting among who wore untreated uniforms [control] was 2.14 mosquito biting/min/person [128.2/hr], While it was 0.23 [13.8/hr] for who wore treated uniforms. The percent protection of treated uniforms, in comparison with untreated ones, was about 89%. The protection percent of treated uniforms for different species of mosquitoes, in comparison with untreated ones, was calculated through determining the species of captured mosquitoes, separately from case and control subjects. The results of species identification among captured mosquitoes of a field study showed that about 95% of them are of Cx.pipiens species, and protection of treated uniforms against them, was estimated 87%. Moreover, as an accompaning environmental consequence a significant reduction in mosquito's density was seen

efficacy of Iranian and foreign dimethyl phthalate lotion and trench oinment against Anopheles Stephensi in laboratory conditions

The use of repellents is an important mean of personal protection against biting insects, as well as for combating diseases transmission by reducing man-vector contact. Although N, N- diethyl-3-m-toluamide [DEET] is effective and commonly used, but a number of biting Diptera are tolerant to DEET. In addition, there are some concerns about the safety of DEET and their allergic and toxic effects. Therefore, attend to other repellents. This study evaluated dimethyl phthalate [DMP], which was synthetized in Iran, for protection time [PT] against Anopheles Stephensi and compared its efficacy with two repellents foreign DMP and Trench oinment, under laboratory condition. This study was conducted to determine the repellent protection time and failure time [FT] by Barnard [1999] method. Our results indicated that PT of Iranian DMP against An.Stephensi was 274 +/- 8.04 which has no significant difference with the two others repellents. There were significant differences in FT among three repellents. The FT of Iranian DMP was significantly less than two other repellents. Iranian DMP lotion is comparable with foreign DMP lotion, but it needs to promote and to increase repellent FT

[Scrutinizing the status of solid waste collection and exclusion in the military units climbing mount Sabalan [North West of Iran]]

Background: The collection and exclusion of waste has always been a problem for mankind. In natural environments and mountainous plays as for their popularity in mountain climbing, tourist visits and people camping there, it is of much interest to people and therefor the collection and exclusion of rubbish in the mentioned places must be of more concern. As there was little studies conducted in this field, there was a need for practical and scientific studies about rubbish in mountainous locations

Material and Method: there is 485 grams of rubbish percapita including 18.6% food cans, 9.3% recycled food plates, 53.6% cardboards and it's sorts and 2% decaying substances. Also according to the analysis of the questionaire, the average of being a member in "Basij" [Volum teer helping] was 13.47%, having, mountain climbing experperience was 5.87% and age was 33.93%. The carried out survey shows that the speed and status of rubbish contamination in this camp is undesirable

Result: from all of the question were completed, 94% of them emphasize the importance of rubbish exclusion and named training mountain climbers, using small and high energy foods, and necessitating the climbers to collect the rubbish and exclude them in a certain place as the solutions to minimizing rubbish in mountainous places and military aggregations

Conclusion: Also the rate of the people's familiarity with rubbish collection and exclusion methods had direct relation ship with their membership time in Basij, mountain climbing experience and their age

[Scrutinizing the status of solid waste collection and exclusion in the military units climbing mount Sabalan [North West of Iran]]

Background: The collection and exclusion of waste has always been a problem for mankind. In natural environments and mountainous plays as for their popularity in mountain climbing, tourist visits and people camping there, it is of much interest to people and therefor the collection and exclusion of rubbish in the mentioned places must be of more concern. As there was little studies conducted in this field, there was a need for practical and scientific studies about rubbish in mountainous locations

Material and method: there is 485 grams of rubbish percapita including 18.6% food cans, 9.3% recycled food plates, 53.6% cardboards and it's sorts and 2% decaying substances. Also according to the analysis of the questionaire, the average of being a member in "Basij" [Volum teer helping] was 13.47%, having, mountain climbing experperience was 5.87% and age was 33.93%. The carried out survey shows that the speed and status of rubbish contamination in this camp is undesirable

Result: from all of the question were completed, 94% of them emphasize the importance of rubbish exclusion and named training mountain climbers, using small and high energy foods, and necessitating the climbers to collect the rubbish and exclude them in a certain place as the solutions to minimizing rubbish in mountainous places and military aggregations

Conclusion: Also the rate of the people's familiarity with rubbish collection and exclusion methods had direct relation ship with their membership time in Basij, mountain climbing experience and their age