1,2,3Department of Pharmacy, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University, Bareilly, 243006, Uttar Pradesh, India
4Faculty of Pharmacy, Raja Balwant Singh Engineering Technical Campus, Bichpuri, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
5School of Pharmacy, Bharat Institute of Technology, Meerut, 250103, Uttar Pradesh, India
1*Corresponding Author Email: researchermjpru@gmail.com
ORCID: 0000-0003-3851-2987
Received: 16th Dec, 2025; Revised: 8th Feb, 2026; Accepted: 12th Feb, 2026; Available Online: 28th Feb, 2026
Mosquito transmitted diseases like malaria, dengue, and chikungunya keep on to pose serious communal health challenges, highlighting the need for effective and safer mosquito control strategies. The current study aimed to formulate and investigate essential oil–based mosquito repellent microemulsions as eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic repellents. Essential oils of Ocimum basilicum and Citrus bergamia were extracted by hydro-distillation by means of a Clevenger type apparatus and formulated into oil-in-water microemulsions using Tween 80 along with PEG 400. The formulations were analyze for physicochemical properties, including appearance, homogeneity, pH, staining, and viscosity. Mosquito repellent activity was assessed using a cage method, with mosquito attraction facilitated by sugar–yeast and lactic acid solutions. All formulations exhibited good stability, transparency, and pleasant fragrance. Among them, the combined formulation (F3) showed superior repellent efficacy, providing 100% mosquito repellency throughout the observation period. The results indicate that essential oil–based microemulsions are effective, biodegradable, and promising alternatives to conventional chemical repellents for personal mosquito protection.
Keywords: Mosquito repellent; Essential oils; Microemulsion; Ocimum basilicum; Citrus bergamia; Mosquito repellency; Natural insect repellent.
How to cite this article: Sarik M, Shakya S, Kishore K, Mishra P, Verma N, Verma AK. Development and Evaluation of Ocimum Basilicum and Citrus Bergamia Essential Oils Based Mosquito Repellent Formulations. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(5s): 548-555; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.5s.72
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: None