Are Pyrethroids Safe?

Pyrethroids are insecticides widely used in
agriculture and gardening. They form a group of
chemically different compounds with a high degree of
efficacy and low human toxicity. Pyrethroids are
often regarded as a modern of 'safe' insecticides,
because they are rapidly metabolised in mammals and
ecosystems, which explains their low toxicity.
The natural pyrethroid compounds, pyrethrins, were
already known in China in the first century AD. In
the 1940s the producing of synthetic pyrethroids
began, and pyrethroid compounds are now routinely
synthetised by the agrochemical industry.

The neurotoxicity of pyrethroids is based on their
effects on the neuronal cell membrane. The non
-neurotoxic effects referred to are e.g. allergenic
effects, estrogenic effects and interaction with the
cell cycle.

The present study showed that the neural membrane
integral protein ATPase is a target for the effects
of pyrethroids. The in vitro study on breast
carcinoma cell line showed the possibly estrogen
-like effect of pyrethroids.

Autorentext
PhD in Environmental Toxicology, Head of Junior Secondary School, Teacher Training School, University of Tampere, Finland.

Klappentext
Pyrethroids are insecticides widely used in agriculture and gardening. They form a group of chemically different compounds with a high degree of efficacy and low human toxicity. Pyrethroids are often regarded as a modern of 'safe' insecticides, because they are rapidly metabolised in mammals and ecosystems, which explains their low toxicity. The natural pyrethroid compounds, pyrethrins, were already known in China in the first century AD. In the 1940s the producing of synthetic pyrethroids began, and pyrethroid compounds are now routinely synthetised by the agrochemical industry. The neurotoxicity of pyrethroids is based on their effects on the neuronal cell membrane. The non -neurotoxic effects referred to are e.g. allergenic effects, estrogenic effects and interaction with the cell cycle. The present study showed that the neural membrane integral protein ATPase is a target for the effects of pyrethroids. The in vitro study on breast carcinoma cell line showed the possibly estrogen -like effect of pyrethroids.