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| Clinical data | |
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| Trade names | Cadusafos |
| Legal status | |
| Legal status | |
| Pharmacokinetic data | |
| Bioavailability | 90-100% |
| Metabolism | >90% |
| Metabolites | hydroxy sulfones, phosphorothioic and sulfonic acids |
| Eliminationhalf-life | not available |
| Excretion | kidney, renal |
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| PubChemCID | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
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| ChEMBL | |
| CompTox Dashboard(EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.108.705 |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C10H23O2PS2 |
| Molar mass | 270.39 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| Density | 1.054 g/cm3 |
| Boiling point | 112–114 °C (234–237 °F) |
| Solubility in water | 0.248 g/L |
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Cadusafos (2-[butan-2-ylsulfanyl(ethoxy)phosphoryl]sulfanylbutane) is a chemicalinsecticide andnematicide often used againstparasitic nematode populations. The compound acts as aacetylcholinesterase inhibitor. It belongs the chemical class of synthetic organicthiophosphates and it is a volatile and persistent clear liquid. It is used on food crops such as tomatoes, bananas and chickpeas. It is currently not approved by theEuropean Commissionfor use in the EU. Exposure can occur throughinhalation,ingestion or contact with the skin. The compound is highly toxic tonematodes,earthworms and birds but poses nocarcinogenic risk to humans.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
Apatent application for Cadusafos was first filed in Europe on August 13, 1982 byFMC Corporation, an American chemical company which originated as an insecticide producer. In their patent application, they claimed that the compound should preferably be used to “control nematodes and soil insects, but may also control some insects which feed on the above ground portions of the plant.”[7] The patent is expired, meaning that the compound is commercially available from chemical vendors such asSigma Aldrich.[8] However, the pesticide is not approved for use in Europe due to the lack of information on consumer exposure and the risk to groundwater.[9]
Cadusafos is asynthetic organicthiophosphate compound which is observed as avolatile andpersistent clear liquid. The toxin is anorganothiophosphateinsecticide.[1]Organothiophosphorus compounds are identified as compounds which contain carbonphosphorus bonds where thephosphorus atom is also bound tosulphur. Many of thesecompounds serve as insecticides andcholinergic agents.[10]Cadusafos contains the phosphorus atom bound to two sulphurs which are attached to iso-butylsubstituents. The phosphorus is also connected to oxygen by a double bond and is bound to anethylether group.The exactreactivity of Cadusafos as well as that of organothiophosphate compounds in generalis, as of yet, unknown. However, thecholinesterase enzyme inhibition mechanism of action ofthese compounds works similarly to other organophosphates.[11] Examples oforganophosphates includenerve gasses such assarin andVX as well as pesticides likemalathion.[12]
The synthesis of Cadusafos can be performed via thesubstitution reaction ofO-ethyl phosphoric dichloride and two equivalents of 2-butanethiol.[13]
Cadusafos is aninhibitor of the enzymeacetylcholinesterase. This enzyme binds toacetylcholine and cleaves it intocholine andacetate. Acetylcholine is aneurotransmitter whichis used in neurons to pass on aneural stimulus. Cadusafos inhibits the function ofacetylcholinesterase by occupying theactive site of the enzyme which will no longer be able tofunction properly, resulting in theaccumulation of acetylcholine. This might result in excessivenervous stimulation,respiratory failure and death.[14]Cadusafos is an organothiophosphate, which is a subclass oforganophosphates.Organophosphates can act as an inhibitor for acetylcholinesterase in a way for which themechanism is known.[1] The active site of acetylcholinesterase contains ananionic site andanesteratic site. This esteratic side contains aserine at the 200th position, which usually bindsacetylcholine. Organophosphate inhibitors canphosphorylate this serine and with that inhibitthe enzyme.[15]
In a study, 14Cradiolabeled Cadusafos was administeredorally to rats. The excretion of feces, urine and CO2 was monitored for seven days. This showed that cadusafos is readilyabsorbed (90-100%)[16] and mainlyeliminated via urine (around 75%), followed by elimination via expired air (10-15%) and via feces (5-15%). Over 90% of the administered dose was eliminated within 48 hours after administration. Analysis of tissue and blood samples collected after seven days showed a remaining radioactivity between 1-3%.[2] The majority of this radioactivity was found in fat, liver, kidney and lung tissue and no evidence of accumulation was found.[2][17]A different study was performed in order to identify themetabolites formed in rats after receiving either an oral orintravenous dose of Cadusafos. The metabolic products were analyzed using several analysis methods (HPLC,TLC,GC-MS,1H-NMR andliquid scintillation). This indicated the presence of the parent compound, Cadusafos, as well as 10 other metabolites. The main pathway of metabolism involves the cleavage of the thio-(sec-butyl) group, forming two primary products: Sec-butyl mercaptan and Oethyl-S-(2-butyl) phosphorothioic acid (OSPA). These intermediate compounds are then degraded further into several metabolites. The major metabolites werehydroxysulfones, followed byphosphorothionic acids andsulfonic acids, which then formconjugates.[2]
A study has been conducted by the JointFAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR),on rats in which thelethal dose of Cadusafos was investigated. The researchers found a medianlethal dose via the oral pathway of 68.4 mg/kg bodyweight (bw) in male rats and 82.1 mg/kgbw in female rats. The rats died of typical symptoms of acetylcholinesterase inhibition. Via thedermal pathway, lower median lethal doses were found; mg/kg bw in males and 41.8 mg/kg bwin females.[18]Considering the toxicity in humans, there is no data available yet regarding the median lethaldose for a human. TheUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), did publish areport on the safety concerns of Cadusafos used as a pesticide on bananas and concluded that“Potential acute and chronic dietary exposures from eating bananas treated with Cadusafos arebelow the level of concern for the entire U.S. population, including infants and children.”[19]
Cadusafos has been proved to be toxic to fish,aquatic invertebrates, bees,earthworms and otherarthropods. Further research was conducted on terrestrial vertebrates, and it is expected to havetoxic effects on mammals.[3] Besides its direct toxicity to multiple species, Cadusafos alsohas a potential tobioaccumulate sosecondary poisoning for earthworm eating mammals andbirds should also be taken into consideration.[17] The estimated risk to bees and aquaticorganisms is low due to the application of Cadusafos, even though the toxicity to bees is high.The compound is also estimated to be highly toxic to earthworms and birds. A multigenerationstudy in rats has established a No Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of 0.03 mg/kg bw per dayfor the inhibition of cholinesterase activity inplasma anderythrocytes.[2] There has been noadequate evidence that Cadusafos could prove agenotoxic compound. Due to this andadditional research on mice and rats which proved Cadusafos as non-carcinogenic, it can beconcluded that Cadusafos is non-carcinogenic for humans.
Cadusafos proved to be very effective against parasiticnematode populations such asRotylenchulus reniformis andMeloidogyne incognita. It showed to be more effective againstendoparasitic nematodesthanectoparasitic nematodes[4] and when compared to other nematicides liketriazophos,methyl bromide,aldicarb,carbofuran andphorate, Cadusafos proved to be the most efficient.The effectiveness of Cadusafos improves when increasing thedosage or the exposure time.[20][5]Efficacy after application for several successive cropping seasons seemed to remainthe same for up to four seasons. However, when it is used for more than 4 consecutive seasons, this can cause a linear decrease in the efficacy.[4]