In-vitro Pediculicidal Activity of Juice from Clove of Allium sativum

Head lice are a global public-health apprehension affecting primary school age children. The control of lice presents research challenges and prediction for the identification of new, safe insecticides. Allium sativum (commonly known as garlic) is a species belonging to family Alliaceae. Garlic has been used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. In an attempt to assess the lethality, Allium sativum aqueous extracts were tested in In-vitro toxicity model against human adult lice. The lice were observed for lack of response to stimuli over 3 hour period. The results demonstrated that raw juice of Allium sativum clove showed pediculicidal efficacies of 90±10 per cent (P< 0.01 over control). The experimental evidence obtained in the laboratory model could provide a rationale for the use of Allium sativum juice to be included in formulations for controlling head lice.