Environmental and toxicological aspects of insect growth regulators.

Insect growth regulators (IGRs) are a class of new chemicals that interfere with maturation and reproduction in insects. Proposed hypotheses on the biochemical mechanism of action are presented herein. The environmental aspects as metabolism in soils, plants, insects, and animals suggest strongly that these chemicals undergo rapid degradation and metabolism to innocuous metabolites. The toxicological properties determined for registration of the IGR methoprene, isopropyl (E,E)-11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-2,4-dodecadienoate, reflected no significant effects against any of the species tested. Toxicological evaluations in swine, sheep, hamsters, rats, dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs, and cattle revealed no clinical signs of toxicosis. Additionally, teratological studies in swine, sheep, hamsters, rats, and rabbits also resulted in no observable effects in the animals at the levels administered.