Chlorpyrifos (CPF)

Organophosphate Pesticide

Authors

Affiliations

Nate Yomogida, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.S. in Kinesiology

Chloë Kerstein, B.S., SPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy

B.A. in Neuroscience

CPF is particularly hazardous to humans since it can cross the blood-brain barrier¹.

CPF exposure has been demonstrated to be poisonous to humans whether it is through dietary intake, inhalation, or dermal absorption¹

CPF residues and therefore exposure is commonly detected on the outside of vegetables, fruits, grains, and water sources¹. In addition, CPF residue concentrations frequently exceed the acute reference dose¹.

Pathophysiology

Blood-brain barrier vulnerability

Evidence suggests that CPF can cause harm by crossing the BBB and then subsequently worsening the integrity and increasing the permeability of the BBB¹. This results in increased vulnerability to free radicals, resulting in morphological and functional alterations in the CNS¹.

AChE inhibition

CPF is hypothesized to impact cholinergic neurotransmission through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE) in the brain¹.

Neuroinflammation

Exposure to organophosphate pesticides, including CPF, is linked to neuroinflammation, which is a key step in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases¹.

References

1.

Weis GCC, Assmann CE, Mostardeiro VB, et al. Chlorpyrifos pesticide promotes oxidative stress and increases inflammatory states in BV-2 microglial cells: A role in neuroinflammation. Chemosphere. 2021;278:130417. doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130417