Pesticide resistance is going to change rapidly our antibiotics and insecticides arsenal. In this scenario, plant-derived natural products are considered valuable candidates to reverse this negative trend. Growing research attention is focused on neem (Azadirachta indica, Meliaceae), exploring the utility of its products as insecticides and antibiotics. In this review, we summarised the knowledge on neem oil and neem cake by-products in arthropod pest control, with special reference to mosquito vectors of public health importance. To the best of our knowledge, neem-borne products currently showed effective and eco-friendly features, including little non-target effects, multiple mechanisms of action, low cost, easy production in countries with limited industrial facilities. In particular, the potentiality of neem cake as ideal and affordable source of mosquitocidal compounds in anopheline and aedine control programmes is outlined. Overall, we propose the employ of neem-based products as an advantageous alternative to build newer and safer arthropod control tools.

b The BioRobotics Institute Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies Pontedera Italy

c Department of Environmental Biology Sapienza University of Rome Rome Italy

Department of Agriculture Food and Environment University of Pisa Pisa Italy

Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering National Central University Jhongli Taiwan

e Department of Zoology School of Life Sciences Bharathiar University Coimbatore India

f Department of Biotechnology Thiruvalluvar University Vellore India

g Crop Research Institute Prague Czech Republic

References provided by Crossref.org

In vitro evaluation of the composition and acaricidal efficacy of Urtica fissa leaf ethyl acetate extract against Sarcoptes scabiei mites

Green Micro- and Nanoemulsions for Managing Parasites, Vectors and Pests

Field evaluation of synthetic and neem-derived alternative insecticides in developing action thresholds against cauliflower pests