Does rotenone cause muscle, kidney, liver or other physiological problems?
A. Rotenone is highly toxic to insects and fish but represents little risk to people or other mammals. This characteristic makes it a useful pesticide. However, rotenone does affect living cells. See the question about how rotenone works for information on its mode of action. If a massive dose is administered or received, warm blooded animals will exhibit reduced pulse, reduced heart contractions, and a drop in blood pressure. The rate and depth of breathing increases but peristalsis in the gut is reduced. Levels of sodium, potassium, chlorides, and glucose in the urine increase. All of these effects are temporary and they cease as soon as the exposure ends. Acute poisoning (as might be caused by the swallowing of extremely high doses) causes nausea, vomiting, gastric pain, muscle tremors, incoordination, convulsions and stupor. Death may result. No human deaths due to rotenone poisoning have been reported in published literature.
