英国《BMC生物学》杂志5日刊登一项最新研究结果表明,驱蚊剂“避蚊胺”(DEET)对中枢神经系统中一种关键酶的活性有抑制作用,研究人员认为有必要重新深入研究这种驱蚊剂的安全性。
由法国研究人员领导的一个国际小组研究发现,“避蚊胺”能抑制乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性,而这种酶在昆虫和哺乳动物的中枢神经系统中都非常关键。
研究人员说,“避蚊胺”常与其他杀虫剂混用,但它在与氨基甲酸盐类杀虫剂混用时毒性会增强。研究人员认为,出于对公众健康安全的考虑,应该重新对“避蚊胺”的安全性进行深入研究。
“避蚊胺”于20世纪中期被发明,化学名称为二乙基甲苯酰胺。它可以有效趋避蚊、蠓、蚋、蝇和跳蚤等昆虫,因此在全世界一直得到广泛使用。(生物谷Bioon.com)
生物谷推荐原始出处:
BMC Biology 2009, 7:47doi:10.1186/1741-7007-7-47
Evidence for inhibition of cholinesterases in insect and mammalian nervous systems by the insect repellent deet
Vincent Corbel , Maria Stankiewicz , Cedric Pennetier , Didier Fournier , Jure Stojan , Emmanuelle Girard , Mitko Dimitrov , Jordi Molgo , Jean Marc Hougard and Bruno Lapied
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 deetin 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 cholinesterase activity, in both insect and mammalian neuronal preparations. Deet is commonly used in combination with insecticides and we show that deet has the capacity to strengthen the toxicity of carbamates, a class of insecticides known to block acetylcholinesterase.
Conclusion
These findings question the safety of deet, particularly in combination with other chemicals, and they highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the development of safer insect repellents for use in public health.