Metabolism and degradation of the pyrethroids tralomethrin and tralocythrin in insects

Tralomethrin and tralocythrin undergo debromination, forming deltamethrin and cypermethrin, respectively, following topical administration to house flies, feeding to cabbage looper larvae, or incubation with house fly homogenates and cockroach nerve cords. The debromination is probably not an enzymatic process since it occurs rapidly on incubation with glutathione, cysteine, and albumin. Following debromination, an esterase(s) in house fly homogenate hydrolyzes delta-methrin and cypermethrin. The insecticidal activity of tralomethrin and tralocythrin may be due in part to the liberation of deltamethrin and cypermethrin in the insect or its nervous system.