EnvidataID, Semarang – Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) is a disease caused by the dengue virus, which enters the human bloodstream through the bite of mosquitoes from the Aedes genus, for example Aedes aegypti or Aedes albopictus. DHF can occur throughout the year and attack all age groups. DHF is related to environmental conditions and behavior carried out by the community. The condition of the house and environment that does not meet health requirements is a risk factor for the source of transmission of various types of diseases, especially environmentally based diseases, one of which is DHF. The condition of the house plays an important role in the emergence of DHF, based on research conducted by Cahyati, W.H and Tur Endah Sukowinarsih showing that houses with larvae in the bathtub have a risk 2.612 times greater than houses without larvae in the bathtub.

Efforts to control and prevent dengue fever have been regulated in Regional Regulation No. 5 of 2010 concerning Dengue Fever Disease Control, these efforts are more focused on controlling the vector, namely controlling the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Mosquito control that is often used by the community is using anti-mosquito spray, burning, and anti-mosquito lotion made from chemicals. The chemicals used in these anti-mosquitoes have negative impacts such as residues whose active ingredients are difficult to decompose in nature. The use of chemical insecticides if used appropriately, at the right dose, at the right time, and in the right coverage will be able to control the vector and reduce the negative impact on the environment and non-target organisms, one example of the material used is alum as a larvicide against Anopheles stephansi mosquito larvae. Although it can be used according to standards, to prevent further impacts from the effects of insecticide use, it is necessary to find alternative natural or plant-based insecticides.

Papaya plants (Carica papaya L) are one of the major commodities in Indonesia and have the ability as a botanical insecticide for larvae and mosquitoes. Phytochemical tests of papaya leaves using spectrophotometry showed that papaya leaves contain 0.25% alkaloids, 0.14% flavonoids, 0.30% saponins and 11.34% tannins. Phytochemical tests using Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) showed that papaya leaves also contain <68 mg/ml steroids, but negative terpenoids. The chemical content in papaya leaves such as flavonoids, tannins, saponins, steroids, and alkaloids function as natural insecticides and insecticides.

Research Initiation

In the same context in 2017, Angger Luhung Nur Fadlilah, Widya Hary Cahyati, and Rudatin Windraswara initiated a study aimed at determining the protective power of papaya leaf extract lotion to repel Aedes aegypti.

Research methods

This type of research is a pure experiment with a post-test only control group design. The population of the study was Aedes aegypti mosquito eggs that were bred into mosquitoes, a sample of 50 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes aged 2-5 days for each treatment group with 4 repetitions, so that the total mosquitoes needed were 1,400 Aedes aegypti mosquitoes because the number of treatments was 7 groups.

Research Results and Conclusions

Based on the results of their research, papaya leaf extract lotion is effective in repelling Aedes aegypti mosquitoes at a concentration of 30% because its repellent power is more than 90%. However, further research is needed to analyze the storage time factor of the extract and the active ingredients contained in papaya leaves along with the characteristics of these substances to be developed into anti-mosquito lotion.