Lower Toxicity of the Essential Oils With Repellent Potential Compared to Diethyltoluamide and Cypermethrin on Porcellio laevis

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the acute toxicity of essential oils with repellent potential, diethyltoluamide (DEET), and cypermethrin on Porcellio laevis. Methods: Randomized preclinical trial with a factorial and controlled arrangement on three essential oils ( Eucalyptus globulus , Mentha piperita , and Cymbopogon citratus ) at 0.1%, 1%, and 10%, respectively, DEET at 10% and cypermethrin at 0.1%. Each experimental group consisted of 10 specimens, 2–3‐mm‐long, of P. laevis . Toxicity was measured by specimen mortality at 3, 24, and 48 h postexposure. Nonparametric inferential statistics were used to compare mortality between the groups. The InfoStat/E software, Version 2020, was used for analysis. Results: Essential oils at concentrations of 0.1% and 1% showed similar toxicity to each other (mortality of 10%–20%) but significantly lower compared to cypermethrin and DEET (mortality of 100%). However, essential oils at 10% reached median mortality rates above 70%. Likewise, similar effects were observed at concentrations of 0.1% and 1.0% and at 24 and 48 h. The LC 50 at 24 h was 7.8% (CI 95%: 5.2–9.8), 6.1% (CI 95%: 4.9–7.4), and 9.8% (CI 95%: 8.9–10.6) for E. globulus , M. piperita , and C. citratus, respectively. Conclusions: The evaluated essential oils showed lower acute toxicity compared to DEET and cypermethrin, depending on concentration and time.