Gateway on Pesticide Hazards and Safe Pest Management

Lemongrass Oil

General Information

• Product Names:

  Natural Home Insect Control (Hot Shot)

• Chemical Class: Oil- essential
• Uses: Insect repellent, insecticide
• Beyond Pesticides rating: Least-toxic

Health and Environmental Effects

• Cancer: Not documented
• Endocrine Disruption: Not documented
• Reproductive Effects: Not documented
• Neurotoxicity: Not documented
• Kidney/Liver Damage: Not documented
• Sensitizer/ Irritant: Not documented
• Birth/Developmental: Not documented
• Detected in Groundwater: Not documented
• Potential Leacher: Not documented
• Toxic to Birds: Not documented
• Toxic to Fish/Aquatic Organisms: Not documented
• Toxic to Bees: Not documented

Additional Information

• Regulatory Status:
  • EPA Reregistration Eligibility Decision (RED)
  • EPA Minimum Risk [FIFRA 25(b)] Pesticides 
• Supporting information:
  • Oil of Lemongrass (Pesticide Action Network)
  • Plant-based mosquito repellents: making a careful choice (Northwest Coalition Against Pesticides)
  • Backyard mosquito management (Beyond Pesticides)
• Studies:
  • Antifungal activity of lemongrass (Cympopogon citratus L.) essential oil against key postharvest pathogens. Tzortzakis, N., and Economakis, C. 2007. Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies.
  • Formulation of an effective mosquito-repellent topical product from Lemongrass oil. Oyedele, A., Gbolade, A., Sosan, M., Soyelu, O., Orafidiya, O. 2002. Phytomedicide.