Preparation and Evaluation of Ant Repellent Herbal Gel Containing the Extract of Tagetes Erecta

Objective - Ant repellent properties refer to the ability to deter ants from landing on orbiting the treated surface area. Alternative methods of integrated pest management are urgently needed. Using hazardous chemicals as pesticides to control insects and other pestiferous organisms has raised public concerns about environmental and human health effects. Methods- Herbal gel formulation prepared from aqueous extract (containing leaf part of Azadirachta indica, Ageratina adenophora, and flower petals of Tagetes erecta) with Carbopol 940 and Xanthan gum as a gel base, which exhibited high homogeneity, no skin irritation, good stability profile, and anti-inflammatory action.Results- Herbal plant extract shows minimal adverse effects. Phytochemical screening of Tagetes erecta, Azadirachta indica, and Ageratina adenophora showed the presence of various chemical constituents like tannins, glycosides, phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and carbohydrates. Prepared herbal gel pH, Viscosity, spreadability, and stability conditions were determined. A compatibility study was done to prove it is incompatible with formulation excipients and ensure the safety profile. Data on percentage ant repellence values of herbal plant extracts and their various combination were checked and calculated to study repellent activity. Conclusion - However, the Xanthan gum-based gel showed the highest percentage of extrudability, good spreadability, and rheological properties. Here, the effectiveness of the Herbal gel was evaluated to determine whether this clothing is protective against ants by measuring changes.