Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide with a history in the United States dating back to the 1800s. Still in use today in various compounds and forms, this insecticide is regularly used in homes, gardens and farm environments. While generally considered safe, there are some important considerations to review before handling and using pyrethrum compounds.
Identification
Pyrethrum is a natural insecticide extracted from the chrysanthemum flower, produced by drying the leaves of the flower. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, pyrethrum was first identified as an insecticide in the 1800s in Asia. It has been used to kill ticks, fleas and mosquitoes, and is used frequently in home and garden sprays and pet shampoos. (Reference 1)
Exposure
The CDC indicates four primary ways people can be exposed to pyrethrum, including inhalation, contact with the sebaceous glands in the skin, through the eyes and by ingestion. Common symptoms from exposure to pyrethrum can include headache, nausea, vomiting, skin or eye irritation and inflammation. Additional symptoms in cases of ingestion can include numbing of the tongue and lips, convulsions, muscular fibrillation, respiratory issues and even death. (Reference 2)
Toxicity
Extension Toxicology Network reports that the possibility of toxicity is greatest in children, as their bodies have not developed enough to sufficiently break down pyrethrum. While absorption of pyrethrum topically is slow in adults, pyrethrum can pass through the lungs while breathing; at high doses, it can potentially damage the central nervous and immune systems. The lowest lethal oral dose of pyrethrum is 750 mg/kg for children and 1,000 mg/kg for adults. (Reference 3)
Environmental Hazards
Pyrethrum is highly toxic to aquatic life including fish and tadpoles. In an insecticide fact sheet provided by Oregon State University's National Pesticide Information Center, pyrethrum is considered potentially toxic to birds and small mammals. Even at modest levels, pyrethrum is toxic to beneficial insects such has honeybees. (Reference 4)
Cancer Risk
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, pyrethrins, compounds of pyrethrum, generally show carcinogenic effects in animals when animals have consumed large quantities of the insecticide over an extended period of time. The true carcinogenic impact of pyrethrum on animals and humans is subject to continuing testing and research.
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