Linuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea) is a
phenylurea herbicide that is used to control the growth of grass and weeds for the purpose of supporting the growth of
crops like
soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...
s.
Pharmacology
Mechanism of action
Linuron acts via inhibition of
photosystem II, which is necessary for
photosynthetic electron transport in
plant
Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclu ...
s.
Effects in animals
Linuron has been found to produce
reproductive toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subs ...
in animals by acting as an
androgen receptor (AR)
antagonist, and for this reason, is considered to be an
endocrine disruptor.
Consequently, in January 2017, the
Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF) of the European Commission DG "Health and food safety" decided to not renew its regulatory approval.
Sales are expected to cease by June 2017.
See also
*
Diuron
*
Monolinuron
References
{{Androgen receptor modulators
Endocrine disruptors
Herbicides
Nonsteroidal antiandrogens
Organochlorides
Ureas