Effects of topical application of three pyrethroid insecticides on spontaneous activity in sensory nerves ofPeriplaneta americanaandBlabera craniifer

Abstract

Electrophysiological techniques were used to analyse the effects, on the activity in the sensory nerves of Periplaneta americana and Blabera craniifer, after topical applications of three different pyrethroid insecticides: deltamethrin, (1R)-tetramethrin, and 5-benzyl-3-furylmethyl (E)-(1R)-cis-2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-oxothiolan-3-ylidenemethyl)cyclopropanecarboxylate (RU-15525; ‘Kadethrin’). The insecticides were applied: (a) to the cercus, and the activity was recorded on the cercal nerve and on the central nervous connectives; or (b) to the last segments of the metathoracic leg, and the corresponding activity was recorded on the crural nerve. In both cases, several categories of receptor were affected but the major part of the recorded activity came from the mechanoreceptors, the functional properties of which were monitored throughout the experiments. In most cases, topical application of small amounts of pyrethroid were found to induce an increase in the spontaneous activity, followed by decrease in excitability. Characteristic differences were, however, found between the three compounds and the effects were concentration- and solvent-dependent. The results were consistent with those obtained from experiments on the sense organs of vertebrates but did not support the idea that the effectiveness of pyrethroid insecticides with an α-cyanobenzyl group, compared with those without an α-cyanobenzyl group, originates from a greater effect on the peripheral sensory receptors.