Cannabis sativa Extracts Kill and Repel Chagas Disease Vector Triatoma infestans — Even Outperforming DEET

A newly published study demonstrates that chemically defined extracts from Cannabis sativa inflorescences possess strong repellent and lethal activity against Triatoma infestans, the primary vector responsible for transmitting Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative parasite of Chagas disease. This research marks the first detailed examination of C. sativa extracts specifically targeting T. infestans, a species increasingly resistant to conventional pyrethroid insecticides.

The authors prepared acetone and ethanol extracts from the Deep Mandarine variety of C. sativa and characterized their chemical profiles using gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The extracts contained abundant terpenes—especially β-caryophyllene and β-pinene—and significant levels of the cannabinoids cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The acetone extract showed a considerably higher concentration of both terpenes and cannabinoids than the ethanolic extract.

When tested on fifth-instar T. infestans nymphs, both extracts achieved maximum lethality at 48 hours. The acetone extract was five times more potent than the ethanol extract. Importantly, the acetone extract also demonstrated exceptional repellent activity, achieving 100% repellence at 25 µg/cm² within 60 minutes — a level of performance that surpassed DEET, which required twice the concentration to reach the same effect.

Synergistic interactions were also a major finding. When combined with abundant terpenes such as β-caryophyllene and d-limonene, both extracts displayed strong synergy, significantly enhancing insecticidal efficacy. Some combinations, however, such as acetone extract with E-ocimene or ethanol extract with β-pinene, produced antagonistic effects depending on the concentration.

In safety tests, neither extract exhibited toxicity toward adult honeybees (Apis mellifera), making them promising candidates for eco-friendly vector control strategies.

As resistance to conventional insecticides expands in Latin America, the results suggest Cannabis sativa extracts could contribute to sustainable, plant-based alternatives for controlling T. infestans and reducing the spread of Chagas disease.

Reference

Dadé, M. M., Daniele, M. R., Rodriguez, S., Díaz, P., Silvestrini, M. P., Schinella, G. R., Marin, G. H., Barrio, D., & Prieto Garcia, J. M. (2025). Repellent, Lethal Activity, and Synergism of Cannabis sativa Extracts with Terpenes Against a Laboratory Colony of Triatoma infestans. Plants, 14(21), 3258. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14213258