Homegrown Catnip Lotion Matches Deet in Repelling Mosquitoes, Uganda Trial Finds

A locally produced catnip-based lotion has proven to be just as effective as Deet at repelling mosquitoes during field trials in Uganda, offering a potentially cheaper weapon in the fight against malaria.

Researchers from Cardiff University and Uganda presented the findings at the Society for Experimental Biology Conference in Florence on Tuesday. The study found that a lotion containing 6% catnip oil was as effective as Deet, while a 2% formulation performed only slightly less well.

Catnip, or Nepeta cataria, belongs to the mint family. Its active compound, nepetalactone, is best known for triggering playful behaviour in cats but also has powerful insect-repelling properties.

The research comes as experts seek new ways to combat malaria, which infected an estimated 282 million people and claimed about 610,000 lives in 2024, most of them young children in Africa. Rising resistance to insecticides and malaria treatments has increased the need for affordable alternatives.

Simon Scofield, a senior lecturer at Cardiff University, said the project was designed to create a highly effective mosquito repellent that rural Ugandan communities could produce themselves at a fraction of the cost of commercial products.

Field tests in eastern Uganda measured how often mosquitoes landed on volunteers wearing either Deet, a 2% catnip lotion, a 6% catnip lotion or a placebo cream. Volunteers using the stronger catnip lotion experienced protection comparable to those wearing Deet.

Researchers also demonstrated that the lotion can be manufactured locally through a community enterprise. While it has so far been distributed free of charge using grant funding, the next phase of the project aims to scale up production and sell the lotion at an affordable price, creating a sustainable source of income for local workers.

Scofield jokingly acknowledged that the team did not investigate whether the lotion attracted cats, though he said the nepetalactone it contains is well known for appealing to felines.