Note from Howard Janfeb

It’s time that I make myself very clear on the subject of pyrethrum and PBO. Pyrethrum is a natural material made from the painted daisy (Chrysanthemum
cinerariaefolium or Chrysanthemum coccineum). Pyrethrins are the six compounds in pyrethrum that have insecticidal power.

I’ve been concerned about the misuse of pyrethrum products for some time, and I have never recommended a pyrethrum product that contains other toxic materials. One of the common extra ingredients is PBO, which is a synthetic synergist that gives the basic insecticide more killing power.

As you can read in the Journal of Pesticide Reform (Vol. 22, No. 1), published by the Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides, there are scary facets to pyrethrum. The journal says that in laboratory tests, insecticides made from pyrethrum have caused tumors in animals, increased the risk of leukemia, disrupted the normal function of sex