title: Toxic effects of boric acid on the German cockroach.
abstract: Boric acid is a slow-acting, inorganic insecticide whose mode of action has not been satisfactorily elucidated. Reported here is evidence which shows that ingested boric acid destroys the cellular lining of the foregut of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.). This effect appears to be sufficient to bring about the death of the insects, perhaps ultimately by starvation. This finding is important because resistance to conventional insecticides may re-establish boric acid as a prominent cockroach control chemical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061-0319, USA.
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Cochran
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001888:Boric Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001888:Boric Acids; C032688:boric acid