Comparative investigation of the genotoxic effects of some commercial fly-insect repellent lotions available for human use

Fly-insect repellents are often used in daily life. Although many brands and varieties repellents-based solution comprises basically be divided into two groups. These; chemical repellents and herbal repellents. In this study, the genotoxic effects of three different insect repellents, one of which is herbal, in vitro CBMN test and Comet test on healthy human lymphocyte cells were investigated. In the findings obtained; doses higher doses higher than 20 µl/ml of herbal repellent, 0,4 µl/ml of p-Mentane based repellent and 1,6 µl/ml of DEET based repellent had toxic effects on healthy human lymphocyte cells. Concentrations of 20 µl/ml of herbal repellent, 0,4 µl/ml of p-Mentane based repellent and 1,6 µl/ml DEET based repellent showed a clastogenic activity by increasing micronucleus formation. 20 µl/ml and concentrations of herbal repellent, 0,4 µl/ml concentration of p-Mentane based repellent and 1,6 µl/ml concentrations of DEET based repellent increased the tail length, tail density and tail moment values of Comet parameters statistically significantly compared to the spontaneous value and caused DNA damage in the form of strand breaks. According to these experimental findings, it was concluded that fly-insect repellent lotions belonging to herbal repellent p-Mentane based repellent and DEET based repellent brands may have cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on healthy human lymphocyte cells in vitro, depending on the dose and time. It is envisaged that these results will be supported by further studies.