Department of Entomology

Title: Bug-killing chemicals, bees, and human: a story of pyrethroids

Abstract: Pyrethroid insecticides are synthetic analogs of a botanical insecticide pyrethrum from Chrysanthemum species. Pyrethroids have a long history of extensive use in the control of arthropod pests and human disease vectors. These compounds exert toxic effects by modifying the function of voltage-gated sodium channels which are critical for electrical signaling in excitable cells. Currently, pyrethorids are the only class of insecticides that are approved to be used in bed nets for malaria control because of their potent insecticidal activity and low mammalian toxicity. In this talk, I will summarize the major findings from my lab on the molecular mechanism of action of pyrethroids and explain the molecular basis of the selectivity of pyrethroids, i.e., why pyrethroids are less toxic to mammals and why one pyrethroid, tau-fluvalinate, is less toxic to bees.