Mode of action of pyrethroid pesticides
Pyrethroids are lethal in low doses to insects, while they are much less dangerous to mammals. Their toxicity depends on their ability to prevent the closure of sodium channels at the level of axons from neuronsthereby inhibiting the repolarization of nerve cells and the generation of a action potential : the neurons becoming inactive, the animal is paralyzed.
Types of pyrethroids
There are at least 24 different pyrethroids, which are classified into two classes, depending on whether or not a nitrile group is present. Among the most famous of these insecticideswe find in particular allethrin, the first pyrethroid synthesized, cyfluthrin or transfluthrin.
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