Pyrethrin: What it is and what it’s not

11/01/2009

“Pyrethrin” is a natural extract derived from Chrysanthemum cinaerefolium flowers.

A natural insecticide, “pyrethrin” is judged as the most effective and least harmful insecticide to mammals, particularly humans, since it only affects insects’ nervous system (Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology, Vol. 2, pp. 585-593).

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a globally-recognized agency on food and drug testing, declared that among plant-based insecticides they studied, only products that contain “pyrethrin” and even “permethrin” were declared safe and effective (Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Part 358, Docket No. 81N-0201. RIN 0910-AA01 Pediculicide Drug Products for Over-the-counter Human Use; Final Monograph; Technical Amendment).

Another US-based agency, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), concluded in its “Review of the Relationship between Pyrethrins, Pyrethroid Exposure, and Asthma and Allergies” released September 2009 that “there is no clear and consistent pattern of effects reported to indicate an association between pyrethrin/pyrethroid exposure and asthma and allergies.”

At present, Licealiz contains only 0.20 percent of pyrethrin concentration, which is well within the US FDA, and even the Philippines’ own Bureau of Food and Drug (BFAD)-mandated standard, of safe and allowable level of pyrethrin concentration of 0.17 to 0.33 percent. Given this, the issue of safety should also be of no cause for worry or concern for users of Licealiz.

Licealiz anti-lice and nits shampoo is manufactured by Lamoiyan Corp., a manufacturing company whose ideals are focused on making affordable and high-quality products, all for the ultimate benefit of Filipinos in terms of uplifting their quality of life and for the glory of God.

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