Malathion
is an organophosphate insecticide frequently used to ascendancy mosquitos and
added aerial insects. Pharmaceutically, malathion is used to annihilate arch
lice. The arch toxicological aftereffect of malathion is cholinesterase
inhibition, due primarily to malaoxon and to phosphorus thionate impurities.
Malathion
is a nonsystemic, wide-spectrum organophosphate insecticide. It inhibits
acetylcholinesterase activity of a lot of eukaryotes. Malathion is baneful to
amphibian organisms, but has a almost low toxicity for birds and mammals. The
above metabolites of malathion are mono- and di-carboxylic acid derivatives,
and malaoxon is a accessory metabolite. However, it is malaoxon that is the
arch cholinesterase inhibitor. Cholinesterases activate the hydrolysis of the
neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acerb acid, a acknowledgment
all-important to acquiesce a cholinergic neuron to acknowledgment to its
comatose accompaniment afterwards activation. Because of its essential
function, chemicals that baffle with the activity of cholinesterase are
almighty neurotoxins, causing beef spasms and ultimately death.
Malathion
is hardly baneful via the articulate route, with appear articulate LD50 ethics
of 1000 mg/kg to greater than 10,000 mg/kg in the rat. It is aswell hardly
baneful via the skinl route, with appear skinl LD50 ethics of greater than 4000
mg/kg in rats. Moderate contagion can aftereffect in chest tightness, adversity
breathing, bradycardia, tachycardia, tremor/ataxia, blurred vision, and
confusion. Severe, life-threatening signs cover coma, seizures, respiratory
arrest, and paralysis. Malathion may aswell be acid to the skin and eyes.