A lotion made from catnip oil repels mosquitoes as effectively as Deet, according to field trials conducted in Uganda and presented at a biology conference in Florence, Italy The Guardian. A 6% catnip oil lotion performed as well as the 15% Deet lotion most commonly available in Uganda. Even a weaker 2% catnip formulation worked nearly as well.

Dr. Simon Scofield from Cardiff University led the research. To test the lotion, volunteers in eastern Uganda wore it on their legs and counted how many mosquitoes landed on them over an evening. This real-world test is more reliable than laboratory experiments alone, because it shows how the repellent works in actual conditions.

The active ingredient is called nepetalactone. It is the same compound that makes cats playful and excited around catnip plants. Scientists have long known this compound repels insects, but this is the first field test proving it actually works in the real world.

From lab tests to real-world trials

The research builds on two published scientific papers. In 2024, a lab study showed that catnip oil at just 2% concentration repelled more than 70% of mosquitoes Nature/Scientific Reports. In 2026, a second study took the work outdoors and tested it in eastern Uganda, where mosquitoes are a real problem Nature/Scientific Reports. The Guardian's report brings both studies together along with the new conference presentation.

In February 2025, the Stockholm Environment Institute highlighted this project as a way to bring affordable plant-based repellents to eastern Africa SEI. The goal from the start was not just to satisfy curiosity but to create a tool that communities could actually use and produce themselves.

Why cost matters more than you might think

Unlike most repellent research, this project is designed to be made locally by community groups, which keeps the price low. Right now, researchers are giving the lotion free to communities that take part in trials. The next step is to start selling it, so that the people making it can earn a steady income without depending on donations.

In many African countries where malaria is common, Deet works well but costs too much for most people to buy. A homemade catnip lotion that works just as well could change that. It is not a marginal improvement on something people cannot afford; it is a solution to the access problem itself.

Why this matters for fighting malaria

The World Health Organization recorded 282 million malaria infections and 610,000 deaths worldwide in 2024. Most of the people who died were children in Africa. Repellents are one important tool—along with bed nets, spraying homes, and antimalarial medicine—that can protect people without needing a hospital or clinic.

This finding does not replace other malaria prevention methods. Repellents stop mosquitoes from biting you, but they do not kill mosquitoes, stop them from breeding, or address other factors that spread malaria. A single evening test also does not capture how well the lotion works over months or different seasons, or whether people will actually use it consistently.

The real challenge ahead is making and selling this product at scale. Plant-based formulas can break down over time, and companies that tried similar projects have sometimes struggled to move from free trials to paying customers. If the catnip lotion can succeed where others have stumbled, it could help millions of people. If not, it will remain a good research result that few people can actually use.