Evidence for inhibition of cholinesterases in insect and mammalian nervous systems by the insect repellent deet.

ABSTRACT:

Background

N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet) remains the gold standard for insect repellents. About 200 million people use it every year and over 8 billion doses have been applied over the past 50 years. Despite the widespread and increased interest in the use of deet in public health programmes, controversies remain concerning both the identification of its target sites at the olfactory system and its mechanism of toxicity in insects, mammals and humans. Here, we investigated the molecular target site for deet and the consequences of its interactions with carbamate insecticides on the cholinergic system.

Results

By using toxicological, biochemical and electrophysiological techniques, we show that deet is not simply a behaviour-modifying chemical but that it also inhibits

SUBMITTER: Corbel V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2739159 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature