Effectiveness of Six Selected Medicinal Plants Against Headlices, Pediculus humanus capitis: an in Vitro Study
an in Vitro Study
Keywords:
Anti-lice activity, filter paper bioassay, pediculocide, head louse, Pediculus humanus capitis, head lice, black seed oil, castor oilAbstract
In head lice infestation situations, inappropriate topical pediculocide application and insecticide resistance are typical causes of treatment failure. Essential oils and plant extracts have drawn interest as safer substitutes with easy biodegradability and minimal toxicity to mammals. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of garlic and pomegranate extracts, as well as oils derived from garlic, clove, castor, black seed, and onion, in killing adult head lice. A filter paper diffusion method was conducted for determining the potential pediculocidal activity of the garlic and pomegranate extracts and oils of garlic, clove, castor, black seed, and onion. The results revealed that castor and black seed oils exhibited highly anti-lice activity, resulting in mortality 100% after 1 hour of treatment. Moderate efficacy was observed for G96, G50, and POM96 samples, leading to mortality rates ranging from 46.66% to 66.67%. However, GA, POM50, POMA, GO, CO, and ONO did not demonstrate anti-lice activity within the first hour. After 12 hours of treatment, all samples showed 100% mortality, indicating strong anti-lice effects. This study demonstrated highly significant pediculocidal effects of all tested samples, particularly castor and black seed oils, against head lice infestations.
