Comparative efficacy of new commercial pediculicides against adults and eggs of Pediculus humanus capitis (head lice)

ANABELLA GALLARDO; GASTÓN MOUGABURE-CUETO ; CLAUDIA VASSENA; MARÍA INÉS PICOLLO; ARIEL CEFERINO TOLOZA

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2012 vol. 110 p. 1601 - 1606

0932-0113

Abstract The use of pyrethroids to control head louseinfestations have suffered considerable loss of efficacy dueto the development of resistance. In the last past years,several new alternative products to synthetic pyrethroidshave been developed and are sold in the Argentineanmarket against head lice. The present study investigated theefficacy of two new Argentinean products Nopucid Qubit®and Nopucid Bio Citrus® and its comparison with tworeference products Nyda® and Hedrin®. Nopucid Qubit® isa two-phase lotion containing geraniol and citronellol(phase 1) and ciclopentaxiloxane (phase 2); while NopucidBio Citrus® contains dimethicone, ciclopentaxiloxane, andbergamot essential oil. These products are physically actingcompounds. The sensitivity of two laboratory assays fortesting insecticide activity of new formulations was alsocompared. Mortality (100%) of motile forms occurred afterthey were exposed to any product for 1 and 2 min, either byin vitro or ex vivo test. Concerning ovicidal activity, themost effective pediculicides were Nopucid Bio Citrus® andNyda®, followed by Hedrin® and Nopucid Qubit®. Thepresent study revealed, for the first time, the efficacy ofover-the-counter commercial pediculicides available inArgentine (Nopucid Bio Citrus® and Nopucid Qubit®) oneither motile stages or eggs against head lice