Metalaxyl (Synonyms: (±)-Metalaxyl, rac-Metalaxyl)

Metalaxyl is a fungicide that inhibits protein synthesis in fungi.^1,2 It inhibits the growth of potato blight (P. infestans) fungal isolates from Serbian potato fields (EC₅₀s = 0.3-3.9 μg/ml).¹ Metalaxyl (300 and 1,000 μg/ml) induces formation of chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes.³ It exhibits aquatic toxicity against S. quadricanda, D. magna, and D. rerio (IC₅₀s = 222.89, 471.95, and 241.98 mg/L, respectively).⁴ Metalaxyl also induces tremors, twitches, tonic extension, ataxia, and hypnosis, symptoms of CNS poisoning, and lethality in rats (LD₅₀s = 265 and 288.8 mg/kg for female and male rats, respectively).²

1.Rekanovi?, E., Poto?nik, I., Milijaševi?-Mar?i?, S., et al.Toxicity of metalaxyl, azoxystrobin, dimethomorph, cymoxanil, zoxamide and mancozeb to Phytophthora infestans isolates from SerbiaJ. Environ. Sci. Health B.47(5)403-409(2012) 2.Naidu, K.A., and Radhakrishnamurty, R.Metalaxyl-induced bradycardia in rats: Mediated by α-adrenoreceptorsJ. Toxicol. Environ. Health23(4)495-498(1988) 3.Hrelia, P., Maffei, F., Fimognari, C., et al.Cytogenetic effects of metalaxyl on human and animal chromosomesMutat. Res.369(1-2)81-86(1996) 4.Yao, K., Zhu, L., Duan, Z., et al.Comparison of R-metalaxyl and rac-metalaxyl in acute, chronic, and sublethal effect on aquatic organisms: Daphnia magna, Scenedesmus quadricanda, and Danio rerioEnviron. Toxicol.24(2)148-156(2009)