Benzoyl phenyl ureas , chitin

Chitin Synthesis Inhibitors. These are insect growth regulators that prevent the formation of the insect chitinous exoskeleton and thus produce a critical biochemical lesion during hatching, ecdysis, or pupation (44). These complex biochemical and physiological processes are unique to arthropods therefore, the benzoyl phenyl ureas are highly specific insecticides (44). 

Triflumuron (Alsystin , Baycidal ) [91,92], an /V-benzoyl-W-phenyl urea chitin synthase inhibitor commercialized by Bayer CropScience, is a broad spectrum insecticide that is active against chewing insects, as well as fleas and cockroaches. 

In addition to the effects of diflubenzuron on the chitinase and phenoloxidase levels, observed by Ishaaya and Casida (4 6), other biochemical influences of diflubenzuron and Du 19111 have been described in the literature (Table 9) A common feature of all these effects is their analysis one or more days after treatment. As any effects of these benzoyl-phenyl ureas become visible on the living insects only at the time of the next moult, when susceptible larvae die, investigators are prompted to search for defects up to a considerable time after application. In comparison with the very fast inhibition of chitin synthesis discussed above, in our opinion these studies can at the most indicate "secondary" effects. A considerable number of effects of this type can be expected to be found and published in the future. 

The well-known insecticidal benzoyl phenyl ureas (BPUs), exemplified by diflubenzuron, are chitin biosynthesis disrupters, but at an uncharacterized site distinct from chitin synthase (2), Figure 1. The related bridge-cyclized oxazoline chemistries from DuPont and Yashima, represented by etoxazole, are also commercial or near-conunercial insecticides with the same mechanism of action (5), Figure 1. 

Over the past three decades, the N-benzoyl-N -phenyl ureas (BPUs) have been developed and used as commercial IGRs acting by inhibiting chitin biosynthesis... 

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