Nepetalactone has mosquito repellent function and market demand will continue to be released in the future
Nepetalactone belongs to the iridoids and appears as off-white powder crystals. Nepetalactone has two ring structures: cyclopentane and cycloaliphatic, both of which form terpenoids. In addition, nepetalactone also has a variety of isomers. Nepetalactone is volatile. As the main component of catnip that causes cats to be excited, nepetalactone binds to protein receptors on the epidermal cells of the cat’s nasal cavity, transmits and stimulates the cat’s brain, causing the cat to roll, scratch, and Various reactions such as snoring.
Nepetalactone has anthelmintic, hypnotic, antibacterial and other effects. In the pharmaceutical field, nepetalactone can be used to produce sleeping pills, antispasmodics, antipyretics, etc. In addition, nepetalactone is also widely used in repelling insects, and can be used to repel cockroaches, mosquitoes, flies, etc.; nepetalactone can be added to hydrogen to generate dihydronepetalactone, which is a A highly effective insect repellent compound, its mosquito repellent ability is several times that of the mainstream ingredient DEET.
Natural nepetalactone is mainly extracted from catnip. Synthetic nepetalactone is synthesized using limonene, nepetalic acid or citronellal as starting materials. The production efficiency of nepetalactone is low, the cost is high, and the insufficient output prevents its large-scale application. In order to solve related problems, the microbial synthesis process of nepetalactone is receiving widespread attention in the market.
Catnip, also known as camphor grass, catnip, etc., is a plant of the Nepeta genus and Lamiaceae family. Catnip is native to Europe and later expanded to the Americas, Africa and other regions. In China, catnip is widely grown in Xinjiang, Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Henan, Shandong and other regions. According to the “2022-2026 China Nepetalactone Industry Market Monitoring and Future Development Prospects Research Report released by the Industrial Research Center It shows that there are many nepetalactone manufacturers in my country, but they are mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, including Nanjing Puyi Biotechnology, Azeroth Biotech, Aimeiji Technology, Hubei Xinkang Pharmaceutical, etc., and the product quality is uneven.
In recent years, with consumption upgrading, my country’s pet economy has developed rapidly, and the number of pet cats has continued to grow. According to data from the “2021 China Pet Industry White Paper”, the number of pet cats in my country will reach 58.06 million in 2021, a year-on-year increase of 19.4%. Pets Cats have surpassed dogs as the most widely kept pets. As the cat economy continues to be booming, cat snacks, cat supplies, cat medical care, etc. have received great attention from capital. As an important component of cat attractants, market demand for nepetalactone will continue to be released.
Industry analysts said that in recent years, with the upgrading of consumption, mosquito repellent ingredients have tended to be diversified and developed safely. Lactones have mosquito repellent and antibacterial effects and are receiving more and more market attention. In addition, nepetalactone can make cats feel happy. Under the background of rapid development of the cat economy, the market demand for nepetalactone will continue to be released. Taken together, the nepetalactone market has a large space for development in the future.