Chapter 1 Introduction Background of the Study Cockroaches are common pests in the tropics.

They have been known to cause allergic reactions to most people and chew holes on clothes. According to Bato Balani for Science and Technology, Vol. 14, No. 2, the real danger of cockroach lies in their ability to transmit sometimes lethal diseases and organisms such as Staphylococcus spp., Streptococcus spp., Hepatitis viruses, and Coliform bacteria. They have been known to contaminate food, at the same time infect it with the bacteria they carry. The bacteria they spread in food can cause food poisoning. People have used various instruments to control the cockroach problem in homes. The most popular is the commonly used insecticide sprays. Most of these can destroy cockroaches but they can also do serious damage to humans as well. According to the experts of the website www.bayer.co.th, the active ingredients in these sprays, like tethramethrin, and petroleum distillates can cause severe chest pains and cough attacks when inhaled. The second most popular instrument is the cockroach coils. These coils can kill roaches yet the active ingredients in these coils like allethrin, pynamin forte, prothrin and pyrethrin, can cause harm to humans when inhaled. It also has an ozone-depleting ingredient. The third most popular is the flypaper. The concept of the flypaper is simple. The roaches just stick into it. But when they are stuck, the roaches die and carcass can spread more bacteria. In addition to the side effects of these materials, the costs of these insecticides are high. All these set aside, the question on everyones mind is: What can be an effective and natural insecticide? Tubang Bakod (Jatropha carcas) is a common plant in the Philippines. According to the website, www.davesgarden.com, its seeds contain a certain toxic substance known as

toxalbumin carcin, Along with other ingredients like sap, onions and weeping willow leaves, are Tubang Bakod seeds feasible to be used as cockroach killer?