Pyriprole, sold under the brand name Prac-tic, is a veterinary medication used for dogs against external parasites such as

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. Pyriprole is a

phenyl In organic chemistry, the phenyl group, or phenyl ring, is a cyclic group of atoms with the formula , and is often represented by the symbol Ph (archaically φ) or Ø. The phenyl group is closely related to benzene and can be viewed as a benzene ...

pyrazole Pyrazole is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula . It is a heterocycle characterized as an azole with a 5-membered ring of three carbon atoms and two adjacent nitrogen atoms, which are in Arene substitution pattern, ortho-substi ...

derivative similar to

fipronil Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide that belongs to the phenylpyrazole insecticide class. Fipronil disrupts the insect central nervous system by blocking the ligand-gated ion channel of the GABAA receptor ( IRAC group 2B) and glutamate-g ...

. Although introduced (in the 2000s) and under patent protection it is a "classic" insecticide. It is only approved in the EU and a few other countries for use on dogs. It is not approved for use on cats or livestock. It has not been introduced as an agricultural or hygiene pesticide. Pyriprole applied as a spot-on is highly effective against fleas and several ticks species. Efficacy against fleas is comparable to that of other modern insecticidal active ingredients such as fipronil,

imidacloprid Imidacloprid is a systemic insecticide belonging to a class of chemicals called the neonicotinoids which act on the central nervous system of insects. The chemical works by interfering with the transmission of stimuli in the insect nervous system. ...

spinosad Spinosad is an insecticide based on chemical compounds found in the bacterial species '' Saccharopolyspora spinosa''. The genus '' Saccharopolyspora'' was discovered in 1985 in isolates from crushed sugarcane. The bacteria produce yellowish-p ...

. As most flea spot-ons it controls existing flea and tick infestations in about 1 to 2 days, and provides about 4 weeks protection against re-infestations.

Mechanism of action

Pyriprole is an insecticide and

acaricide Acaricides are pesticides that kill members of the arachnid subclass '' Acari'', which includes ticks and mites. Acaricides are used both in medicine and agriculture, although the desired selective toxicity differs between the two fields. Termi ...

. It inhibits

γ-aminobutyric acid GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid, γ-aminobutyric acid) is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in the developmentally mature mammalian central nervous system. Its principal role is reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. GA ...

(GABA)-gated chloride channels (

GABAA receptor The GABAA receptor (GABAAR) is an ionotropic receptor and ligand-gated ion channel. Its endogenous Ligand (biochemistry), ligand is γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Accurate regul ...

s) resulting in uncontrolled hyperactivity of the central nervous system of fleas and ticks. Parasites are killed through contact rather than by systemic exposure. Following topical administration pyriprole is rapidly distributed in the hair coat of dogs within one day after application. It can be found in the hair coat throughout the treatment interval. Insecticidal efficacy duration against new infestations with fleas persists for a minimum of four weeks. The substance can be used as part of a treatment strategy for the control of

flea allergy dermatitis Flea allergy dermatitis is an eczematous itchy skin disease of dogs and cats. For both of these domestic species, flea allergy dermatitis is the most common cause of skin disease. Affected animals develop allergic reactions to chemicals in flea sa ...

(FAD).

References

{{Authority control Insecticides 2-Pyridyl compounds Pyrazoles Nitriles Organofluorides Trifluoromethyl compounds Thioethers Chlorobenzene derivatives Synthetic insecticides Dog medications