Permethrin is a synthetic chemical, a type of pyrethroid, widely used as an effective insecticide and insect repellent. It is a synthetic version of natural extracts found in chrysanthemum flowers. Developed in the early 1970s, its primary function is to control and repel a broad spectrum of insects.
Insects Permethrin Repels and Kills
Permethrin demonstrates broad-spectrum efficacy against a wide array of insects, incapacitating or killing them upon contact. It targets mosquitoes, known carriers of diseases like West Nile virus, Zika virus, and malaria. When mosquitoes encounter permethrin-treated surfaces, they are repelled or quickly paralyzed, preventing bites.
Ticks, including deer ticks and black-legged ticks, are highly susceptible to permethrin. Contact with treated clothing or gear rapidly kills these arachnids, significantly reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease. Permethrin is also effective against various types of flies.
Household pests like ants, cockroaches, and fleas are similarly impacted. It also controls bed bugs, mites (including scabies and chiggers), and lice. Permethrin targets other nuisance insects such as spiders, crickets, earwigs, and silverfish.
How Permethrin Works as an Insecticide
Permethrin acts by disrupting the nervous system of insects, leading to paralysis and death. Its primary target is the voltage-gated sodium channels in nerve cell membranes. By binding to these channels, permethrin prevents them from closing properly after they open.
This prolonged opening causes a continuous influx of sodium ions into nerve cells. This leads to uncontrolled nerve impulses, muscle spasms, and hyperactivity. This overstimulation overwhelms the insect’s nervous system, leading to paralysis and death. Permethrin is effective as both a contact insecticide and a stomach poison. Insects are more vulnerable than humans or dogs because they metabolize the compound at a slower rate.
Where Permethrin is Commonly Used
Permethrin has diverse applications in personal protection and pest control around homes. It is used to treat clothing and outdoor gear like boots, pants, and tents, providing a barrier against biting insects for hikers and campers. This treatment remains effective for several weeks or multiple washings, offering lasting protection.
Permethrin is also used to treat mosquito nets, especially in regions affected by mosquito-borne diseases like malaria. These nets enhance protection by killing or repelling mosquitoes on contact. It is also an ingredient in many household insect sprays for targeted treatments in cracks and crevices.
While permethrin finds use in agriculture for crop protection and public health mosquito control, its consumer applications are widespread. Permethrin products designed for clothing and gear should not be applied directly to human skin, unlike some other insect repellents.