The surprising truth about herbs

The tree is introduced as a 'medicine for mosquitoes ' , reducing stress and helping brain development being sold at many bonsai dealers. However, according to experts, the use of this plant has been exaggerated.

'Spirit medicine' for mosquito treatment, brain development?

Late afternoon, in the area selling bonsai on Duong Quang Ham Street (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City), many people gathered and asked to buy swings with the name rosemary. Mr. Pham Van Ba, owner of a bonsai plant, shook his hand: 'Out of stock, he is hunching on the mosquito repellent tree, if anyone buys the day after the day is back, the new goods will be able to catch up . ' Taking advantage of product advertising, Mr. Ba quickly said: 'The fragrance of mosquito repellent is number one. Just put a small pot in the room to avoid mosquito bites, nor use chemical incense to burn toxic health. Houses with small children should use mosquito repellent as best. When I remember, I smelled the leaves, the smell was sweet, but the aroma was new and fresh.

Rosemary people buy at bonsai dealers for 80,000 VND / 1 pot.

At the bonsai agent, fertilizer at the corner of Nguyen Van Luong Street (Go Vap District), the owner Nguyen Thi Mai offered: 'The rosemary incense incense is very good. Every price has 30,000, 50,000 VND to 80,000 VND / pot '.

CP SGH, based in Thu Duc District (Ho Chi Minh City), advertises and instructs how to grow mosquito repellent. The company also introduced on the website: 'When growing, the tree gives off a fragrant scent, the aroma of aromatic and pleasant essential oils. The smell can be diffused in a room of 15m2 wide, still fragrant. Office staff must regularly work stress, rosemary scent helps comfort, relieve stress the fastest, help fight sleepiness, create excitement when working .

Put rosemary on the study table or around where your child learns, the essential oil of the tree stimulates the brain development of young, more energetic children, helps children learn better and quickly belongs to more lessons'!?.

Contact this company, sales staff named Nhi said, the price of each tree from 120,000 VND, depending on the area of ​​the room, the owner can put from 1 or more rosemary pots in the room.

According to Dr. Vo Van Nam, rosemary has very little oil content and the ability to produce weak essential oils, only in small scale, not with citronella or mint.

According to Dr. Vo Van Nam, deputy head of the Department of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, needle-leaf rosemary, originated in Europe, imported into Vietnam, it also works to make food spices.Its effect is possible , many experiments also work well to remove mosquitoes, but to use its essential oils to use them , leaving the trees or drying the leaves in the room does not work. . Rosemary has very little essential oil and the ability to produce weak essential oils, only in a small range, not with citronella or mint.

Its effect is that it can get rid of mosquitoes, but it must be used to use its essential oils.

There is no absolute use like advertising

Also according to Dr. Vo Van Nam, if only 1-2 plants are placed in the room, it will not work at all, just like other normal plants. Most plants have essential oils have the effect of chasing mosquitoes and some insects but must be their essential oils extracted, if not the rubbing of the trees in the clump, new dust emit crystal scent oil.

For example, citronella, many rural people often plant each cluster around the house to chase mosquitoes and harmful insects. Lemongrass essential oil is good for health and the environment, but because it is often used to deodorize the toilet, in public places . so in luxury houses or rooms, people do not use citronella oil.

Advice on how to expel mosquitoes to protect health, Prof. Dr. Le Huy Ba, former Director of the Institute of Environmental Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Industry said that to avoid mosquitoes should implement environmental hygiene measures as recommended. of the Ministry of Health such as: do not leave long bottles, stagnant water containers, luminescent bushes and branches around the house.

In addition, mosquito repellent devices such as mosquitoes and ultrasonic lights can be used, but absolutely not to use ultraviolet light to kill mosquitoes because it will cause eye damage and health. Mosquito sticks are also dangerous for health, harm from incense and cigarette smoke, especially in closed rooms, air-conditioned rooms.

If using herbs to repel mosquitoes, it must be a strong and wide scent dispersing plant, so it will be able to catch mosquito-sucking insects. Can buy herbal essential oil, impregnated essential oil into cotton, sponge, or essential oil lamp to keep the room also chasing mosquitoes.

Dr. Vo Van Nam