Metaflumizone is a

semicarbazone In organic chemistry, a semicarbazone is a derivative of imines formed by a condensation reaction between a ketone or aldehyde and semicarbazide. They are classified as imine derivatives because they are formed from the reaction of an aldehyde ...

broad-spectrum

insecticide Insecticides are pesticides used to kill insects. They include ovicides and larvicides used against insect eggs and larvae, respectively. The major use of insecticides is in agriculture, but they are also used in home and garden settings, i ...

developed by Nihon Nohyaku with activity on

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

Coleoptera Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

, and certain

Hemiptera Hemiptera (; ) is an order of insects, commonly called true bugs, comprising more than 80,000 species within groups such as the cicadas, aphids, planthoppers, leafhoppers, assassin bugs, bed bugs, and shield bugs. They range in size from ...

. It is also used for the veterinary treatment of

flea Flea, the common name for the order (biology), order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by hematophagy, ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult f ...

s and

tick Ticks are parasitic arachnids of the order Ixodida. They are part of the mite superorder Parasitiformes. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 mm in length depending on age, sex, and species, but can become larger when engorged. Ticks a ...

s, marketed under the brand name ProMeris. A discontinued variant of ''ProMeris'', called ''ProMeris Duo'' or ''Promeris for Dogs'', was indicated for canine use and was a formulated blend of metaflumizone and

amitraz Amitraz (development code BTS27419) is a non-systemic acaricide and insecticideCorta, E., Bakkali, A., Berrueta, L. A., Gallo, B., & Vicente, F. (1999). Kinetics and mechanism of amitraz hydrolysis in aqueous media by HPLC and GC-MS. Talanta, 48(1 ...

. The metaflumizone-only formulation is waterproof and typically remain effective for 30–45 days in a cutaneous application at the base of the neck.

Similar insecticides

Metaflumizone is chemically similar to pyrazoline

sodium channel blocker Sodium channel blockers are drugs which impair the conduction of sodium ions (Na+) through sodium channels. Extracellular The following naturally-produced substances block sodium channels by binding to and occluding the extracellular pore opening ...

insecticides (SCBIs) discovered at Philips-Duphar in the early 1970s, but is less dangerous to mammals than earlier compounds.

Action

Metaflumizone belongs to

IRAC IRAC ( ) is an acronym that generally stands for: Issue, Rule, Application, and Conclusion. It functions as a methodology for legal analysis. The IRAC format is mostly used in hypothetical questions in law school and bar exams. Sections of an IR ...

group 22B and works by blocking sodium channels in target insects, resulting in flaccid paralysis. Metaflumizone blocks sodium channels by binding selectively to the slow-inactivated state, which is characteristic of the SCBIs. The toxin has been tested for efficacy against '' Spodoptera eridania'' moths and is indicated for control of fleas and ticks. However, in a cross comparison with other veterinary flea control substances, Metaflumizone was not shown to result in a significant reduction in the number of engorged adult female ''

Culex ''Culex'' or typical mosquitoes are a genus of mosquitoes, several species of which serve as vectors of one or more important diseases of birds, humans, and other animals. The diseases they vector include arbovirus infections such as West Nil ...

'' mosquitoes. Therefore, its usefulness as a heartworm control treatment is likely to be insignificant when compared with comparable treatments such as

selamectin Selamectin, sold under the brand name Revolution, among others, is a topical parasiticide and anthelminthic used on dogs and cats. It treats and prevents infections of heartworms, fleas, ear mites, sarcoptic mange (scabies), and certain typ ...

that do impact the mosquito disease vector.

Adverse effects reported

In 2011, Pfizer Animal Care decided to cease production of the drug based on findings which linked its use to an elevated incidence of the autoimmune disorder

pemphigus foliaceus Pemphigus foliaceus is an autoimmune blistering disease of the skin. Pemphigus foliaceus causes a characteristic inflammatory attack at the subcorneal layer of epidermis, which results in skin lesions that are scaly or crusted erosions with an ...

References

External links

* {{PPDB, 443 Insecticides Trifluoromethyl compounds Nitriles Trifluoromethyl ethers