From the Research
Cypermethrin acts on body tissue primarily by disrupting the normal functioning of the nervous system, targeting voltage-gated sodium channels and potentially causing symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea, and in severe cases, muscle twitching or seizures, as well as being an endocrine disruptor, as shown in a recent study 1. The mechanism of action of cypermethrin on human body tissue is complex and involves multiple pathways.
- It targets voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cell membranes, keeping them open longer than normal, which causes continuous nerve impulse transmission.
- This leads to hyperexcitation, paralysis, and eventually death in insects.
- In humans and other mammals, cypermethrin can irritate skin and mucous membranes upon direct contact, causing sensations of burning, tingling, or numbness.
- When absorbed systemically, it can affect the central nervous system, potentially causing symptoms like headache, dizziness, nausea, and in severe cases, muscle twitching or seizures.
- The compound is also known to be an endocrine disruptor, potentially interfering with hormone systems, as shown in a study on the enantioselective endocrine disrupting effects of cypermethrin enantiomers 2.
- Cypermethrin is metabolized primarily in the liver and excreted through urine and feces.
- While mammals generally have better detoxification mechanisms for pyrethroids like cypermethrin than insects do, prolonged or high-dose exposure can still cause significant toxicity, particularly affecting the nervous system, liver, and reproductive organs.
- A recent study found that cypermethrin exposure caused DNA damage and hastened cellular senescence and apoptosis via disrupting cell cycle regulation, and also downregulated synaptic proteins and dysregulated synapse-associated ion channels 1.
- Another study showed that the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway has a protective effect in cypermethrin-induced apoptosis of cortical neurons, but this protective effect is very limited and dependent on the exposure dose and period of cypermethrin 3.