Talk:Cedar oil

Flea eradication & insecticides?
The articles says:
 * It is also used as an insect repellent.
 * ...floor polishes and insecticides.
 * ....In India, Cedrus deodara oil has been shown to possess insecticidal and antifungal properties....

That seems vague and incomplete, reminds me of a wive's tale or popular myth. Please expand or delete.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flea#For_pets
 * "Cedar oil, a non-toxic natural substance, has been proven effective in the eradication of infestations in pets."

...is also vague. --68.127.91.132 (talk) 21:35, 29 September 2011 (UTC)Doug Bashford

While there are many myths about how to kill ectoparasites, from my experience, terpenoids (esp. monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) tend to have legitimate insecticidal properties. Cedrus deodara oil likely does have legitimate effects on fleas ; however, essential oils often contain hundreds of terpenoid and phenolic compounds, which exhibit wide variance in chemical composition between batches (even among clones). Although there may be many compounds in cedrus deodara oil which are responsible for impairing flea behavior, usually there are a few primary active ingredients. The question in my mind is: Which (mono)terpene is responsible for the insecticidal properties?Thepasta (talk) 03:53, 7 March 2013 (UTC)