Repellent Potential of Terpenoids Against Ticks

Abstract

Substances used as repellents to avoid contact with ticks and tickborne disease are essential to control. Several compounds have been developed throughout human history to promote repellent activity, and in the last decades, synthetic repellents have been widely used. However, several humans, animal, and environmental health problems have been related to synthetic compounds. The use of natural molecules with low toxicity becomes an alternative to replace these compounds. The natural terpenoids from secondary plant metabolites are an essential group with repellency activity on different arthropods. This chapter addresses the primary terpenes with repellency activity, briefly identifying the effectiveness of tick repellents, test methodology, primary terpenes tested, and activity. The evaluated compound showed good repellent activity on different tick species and stages. However, through this chapter, we show the variations in the techniques used to evaluate the bioprospection of terpenes with possible repellent activity and a lack of in vivo repellency studies with terpenes. Finally, we emphasize the repellent activity of terpenes to encourage the use of natural compounds as a strategy to control ticks