Rotenone is a selective, non-specific botanical insecticide with some acaricidal properties. Rotenone is used in home gardens for insect control, for lice and tick control on pets, and for fish eradications as part of water body management. Rotenone is a rotenoid plant extract obtained from such species as barbasco, cub, haiari, nekoe, and timbo. Rotenone-containing extracts are taken from the roots, seeds, and leaves of the various plants. This profile refers to the crystalline preparation unless otherwise noted.
Ingestion produces effects ranging from mild irritation to vomiting.
Inhalation of high doses can cause increased respiration followed by depression and convulsions. The mean particle size of the powder determines the inhalation toxicity. Thus, the evidence for teratogenicity is inconclusive. Thus, the evidence for carcinogenicity is inconclusive. Absorption in the stomach and intestines is relatively slow and incomplete, although fats and oils promote its uptake.