Lemongrass extract was tested as a natural insect repellent. Two candies were observed, one treated with lemongrass extract and one without. After 20 minutes, many more ants approached the untreated candy compared to the lemongrass-treated candy, which few ants approached. This suggests that lemongrass extract is an effective natural insect repellent, likely due to its citral and citronella content, which have been shown to repel insects.

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ABSTRACT
Insect repellents are important tools for prevention of insect-borne diseases as
well as painful or uncomfortable insect bites. And one of natural insect repellent is the
lemongrass (cymbopogon citratus). Determining the effectiveness of lemongrass such
as citral and citronella. Using two candies as observation, one is with extract of
lemongrass and the other is without extract of lemongrass. In fourteen (14) minutes,
one candy that without lemongrass, approach by aunts but the candy with lemongrass
is just ignored by ants. The study has found out that lemongrass is an effective and
alternative natural insect repellent. The result of the present study would provide
knowledge and information about lemongrass as insect repellent. Additionally, this
study will produce significant and relevant information for future studies regarding to
insect repellent.

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I. Background of the Study
Insect repellents are important public health tools for the prevention of
vector-borne infectious diseases (Goddard, 2002). Action to reduce vector-borne
diseases can result a major health gains and relieve an important constraint on
development in poor regions (Amerasinghe, 2006). And this insect repellent, help to
prevent and control the outbreaks of insect-borne diseases such as malaria, lyme
disease, dengue fever and bubonic plague (Wikipeida, 2011). Technically an insect
repellant is any chemical or natural that causes insects or other arthropods to make
directed, oriented movements away from the source of repellent. And lemongrass
can use a as natural insect repellent (Helmenstine,2011).
According to an article of new tech bio, lemongrass is a very popular and
used for medicinal, food and insect repellent products. The lemongrass oils are used
in cosmetics, soaps, perfumes, dyes and deodorizers along with thousands of other
products.
Lemongrass has thin stems and the flowers are white, cream or green. It
grows around 8 feet in height in some cases with the majority of species tapering
off a 4 feet. Lemongrass is mainly found in tropical Asia in countries, such as India,
Ceylon, Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Guatemala, Madagascar, Mauritius,
New Guinea and countries in Africa and South America. In the Philippines, it has a
local named known as “tanglad.”
Many repellent products pertaining chemical compound like DEET (N, N-
Diethyl-meta-toluamide) used as active chemical ingredient in insect repellent, are
now turn to all natural ingredients as more and more negative data is released.

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Lemongrass is extremely safe and is listed on EPA’s GRAS list (generally regarded
safe).
People all over the world have come to rely on the potent insect repellent
properties of lemongrass and utilize it as a personal and area spray.

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II. Problem of the Study
This study was conducted to answer the following problem:
1. Can lemongrass extract be used as an effective way of natural insect repellent?
III. Hypothesis of the Study
If lemongrass will be extracted natural components and observe it by
applying the lemongrass over a subject that can be easily approached by insects,
then if it repel the insect away, it is to be an effective natural insect repellent.
IV.Objectives of the Study
A. General Objective
The general objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of
lemongrass as natural insect repellent.
B. Specific Objective
1. To get the time (minutes) using stop watch to observe the time and duration
of the effectiveness of lemongrass.
2. To observe the effectiveness of lemongrass using two candies, one candy is
treated with lemongrass and the other candy without lemongrass.

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V. Significance of the Study
The study will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of lemongrass s
natural insect repellent. Extraction of lemongrass is through Steam Distillation
Technique.
A lot of people will benefit the most because knowledge of insect repellent
will enable them to prevent possible disease. Through this study, the knowledge of
parents regarding lemongrass as insect repellent would increased and will help them
to prevent and avoid diseases caused by insects like dengue etc.
VI.Scope and Limitation
The focus of this study is to determine the effectiveness of lemongrass as
insect repellent. Investigating the performance of these will be described by
observation of two candies. One candy will be treated with lemongrass and another
candy is without lemongrass.
The study was performed last January 16, 2016 and January 23, 2016.
The data used in the research is gathered through observation and Steam
Distillation Technique.

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VII. Design of the Study
A. Variable
Independent variables/manipulated variables
1. Ice
2. Water
Dependent variable / responding variable
1. 20 pieces of lemongrass leaves.
B. Materials
1. Stainless pot with an integral strainer
2. Curve pot cover
3. Stainless or steel glass receiving vessel.
VIII. Methodology
A. Collecting of Lemongrass
About twenty (20) pieces of lemongrass was collected near the house
of the researcher in a vacant lot. Only green and fresh leaves were collected.
Additionally, the leaves were cleaned and air dried to prevent the
organic substance to be extract in extraction process.
B. Procedures
The extraction process is through Stem Distillation Technique. Due to
lack of laboratory apparatus, the researchers intends to use an improvised
apparatus. It requires a stainless pot with an integral strainer, a curve pot
cover and a stainless or steel glass receiving vessel. The consumables are

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water ice, and lemon grass leaves to be extracted. Most essential oils available
today are extracted using a steam distillation process. It is believed by many to
be the only way oils should be extracted. The distillation process is quite simple
as long as the extraction process is closely monitored. The distillation process is
quite simple as long as the extraction process is closely monitored, the steam
will remain at a temperature that won’t damage the lemongrass. First, set the
pot on the heat source and will with purified water to level just below the
strainer bottom when it is in place. A strainer will be inserted and fill it with
lemongrass leaves. Clear the space in the center of the strainer to set the
receiving vessel. Position the pot cover upside down. Make sure that the drip
tip is centered over the receiving vessel. Fill the pot cover as much ice as it can
hold. It is not necessary to add water to the pot cover. Boil it up to 15-30
minutes. Get the extract of lemongrass in the receiving vessel.
IX. Observation
Using two candles for observation, one candy was treated with lemongrass
and the other candy without lemongrass. Put it in the area were ants are present
for faster observation in both candies. Using stopwatch, get the time that the ants
will approach both candies and observe which among the candies has more ants.

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X. Results and Discussion
A. Results
As the results regarding the observation of the two candies, after
almost twenty minutes, the researchers noticed that the candy without
lemongrass extract has more ants compared to the candy with the lemongrass
which has limited number of ants. The researcher also tried to spray the
extract on her arms and noticed that it is effective to repel mosquitoes.
B. Discussion
Lemongrass oil is an essential oil used in deodorants, herbal teas, skin
care products, fragrances, insect repellents, and for aromatherapy (Dutta,
2007).
Lemongrass is closely related species belonging to genus Cymbopogon
are popular used as insect repellents (Trongtongkit, 2005) and various
experimental studies support its use as an insecticide of insect repellant
(Girgent, et. Al., 2002; Heimerdinger, et. Al., 2006; Magesa, et al., 20067;
Yaday et. al., 2006; Cloyd et. al., 2009; Sakulku, et. al, 2009)
Lemongrass is an important essential oil yielding plant. The plant yield
lemongrass oil of commerce after steam distillation of leaves. And this oil used
as insect repellent. One of the important constituents of the oil is ctiral (3, 7-
dimethl-2, 6-octadienal) (Ghosh, 2005). Citral is therefore an aroma compound
used as a flavor and for fortifying lemon oil. It also has a strong antimicrobial
qualities (Onawunmi,1989) and phenomenal effects in insects (Wikipedia,
2011).

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Citral has a toxic efectont he sensory nervous system in insect
antennae (Hapke, 2001) that affect the behavior and physiology of insects.
That is why the candy that has treated by lemongrass can repel ants
becauce of its citral content that when the ants smell it using their antennae, it
will have a phenomenal effect to it. Another important constituents of
lemongrass oil is the citronella. Citronella oil is also renowned plant-based
insect repellent and has been registered for this use in the United States since
1948 (US, EPA Citronella Factsheets, 2007).
XI. Conclusion
The hypothesis was right. The researchers conclude that the lemongrass is an
effective and alternative way of natural insect repellent.
XII. References
A. Journal
Amerasinghe, F. Et al., (2002). Ecosystem and Vector-Borne Disease Control.
Cliggott Publishing, Division of CMP Healthcare Media.
Dutta, B. K. (2007). Anticandidial Activity of Some Essentials Oils of a Mega
Biodiversity Hotspot in India.
Biotechnology Division, Defense Research Laboratory, Tezpur, Assam, India. 50
(2):121-4 Trongtokit, Y. (2005).

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Comparative Repellency of 38 Essential Oils Against Mosquito Bites.
Department of Medical Etymology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol
University, Bangkok, Thailand. 19 (4):303-9 Cloyd, R. A. et al., (2009).
Effect of Commercially Available Plant-Derived Essential Oil Products on
Arthropod Pests. Department of Entomology. 123 Waters Hall, Kansa State
University, Manhattan, KS 665064004, USA. 102(4): 1567-79
Heimerdinger, A. et al., (2006). Alcoholic Extract of Lemongrass (Cymbopogon
citratus) on the Control of Boophilus microplus in Cattle. Programa de Pos-
Graduacao em Zootectnia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. 15(1)37-9
Yaday, S. et al., (2006). Effect of synergist piperonyl butoxide (PBO) on the
toxicity of some essential oils against mosquito larvae. National Institute of
Malaria Research, 2-Nanak Enclave, Radio Colony, Delhi-110009
Sakulku, U. et al, (2009). Characterization and mosquito repellent activity of
citronella