Relationship between fipronil exposure and human poisoning
Keywords:
phenylpyrazoles, human exposure, neurotoxicity, public health, pesticidesAbstract
Fipronil is an insecticide of the phenylpyrazole class widely used in agriculture, public health and veterinary medicine. Its mechanism of action interferes with GABA-mediated chloride channels in insects, leading to death by hyperexcitation. However, its intensive use raises environmental and toxicological concerns, as its metabolites can contaminate water and food, affecting non-target species and humans. This integrative review aimed to analyze the relationship between fipronil exposure and human poisoning. The search was carried out in the PubMed and Scopus database between March and April 2025, using the descriptors “fipronil” and “poisoning”. Studies published between 2015 and 2025, available in full and focusing on humans were included. The findings point to significant neurotoxic effects, such as oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and alterations in neuronal development, especially with the fipronil sulfone metabolite. Cases of acute poisoning have also been reported, with a higher incidence in children. The lack of robust epidemiological studies limits knowledge about the effects of chronic exposure. It is concluded that fipronil represents a potential risk to human health, and that public policies must be implemented to control its use and protect the population.
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