Malathion

Cholinesterase Inhibitor — ANTIPARASITIC PRODUCTS, INSECTICIDES AND REPELLENTS

Key facts

Malathion is an ofp drug in the Cholinesterase Inhibitor class catalogued in DrugCentral. It was first approved by the FDA in 1982. Its mechanism of action is classified as Cholinesterase Inhibitors. DrugCentral lists 2 molecular targets, including MTNR1A and Ace1. Recorded indications include Pediculosis capitis.

• Approval status: ofp (first approved 1982 by the FDA).
• Drug class: Cholinesterase Inhibitor.
• Mechanism of action: Cholinesterase Inhibitors.
• Molecular targets: MTNR1A and Ace1 (2 listed in DrugCentral).
• Indications: Pediculosis capitis.
• ATC code: P03AX03 (Other ectoparasiticides, incl. scabicides).
• Molecular formula: C10H19O6PS2; molecular weight 330.35 g/mol.

Indications & contraindications

Drug–disease relationships curated by DrugCentral (OMOP / SNOMED concepts).

Indications (1)

• Pediculosis capitis

Contraindications (1)

• Skin irritation

Mechanism & targets

• Mechanism of action (MoA): Cholinesterase Inhibitors
• Established pharmacologic class: Cholinesterase Inhibitor

Molecular targets (2)

Target	Gene	Action	Activity
Melatonin receptor type 1A	MTNR1A	unknown	Ki 9.54
Acetylcholinesterase	Ace1	inhibitor	—

Regulatory approvals (1)

Date	Agency	Marketed as	Applicant	Orphan
1982-08-02	FDA	—	TARO PHARMS NORTH

ATC classification

ATC code	Therapeutic hierarchy
P03AX03	ANTIPARASITIC PRODUCTS, INSECTICIDES AND REPELLENTS › ECTOPARASITICIDES, INCL. SCABICIDES, INSECTICIDES AND REPELLENTS › ECTOPARASITICIDES, INCL. SCABICIDES › Other ectoparasiticides, incl. scabicides

Reported adverse-event signals

Strongest FDA FAERS disproportionality signals (log-likelihood ratio). A signal is a statistical association in spontaneous reports, not proof that the drug causes the event.

MedDRA term	LLR
Pregnancy with injectable contraceptive	75.5

Chemical structure

Full physicochemical, ADMET and 3D-structure analysis of Malathion is on its molecule page.

• Molecular formula: C₁₀H₁₉O₆PS₂
• Molecular weight: 330.35 g/mol
• CAS number: 121-75-5
• InChIKey: JXSJBGJIGXNWCI-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• PubChem CID: 4004

CCOC(=O)CC(SP(=S)(OC)OC)C(=O)OCC

Frequently asked questions

Answers are generated from the structured data on this page, not written by hand.

What is Malathion used for?

DrugCentral lists the following indications for Malathion: Pediculosis capitis.

How does Malathion work?

Malathion is classified as Cholinesterase Inhibitors; its molecular targets in DrugCentral include MTNR1A and Ace1 (inhibitor).

When was Malathion first approved?

Malathion was first approved by the FDA in 1982.

What drug class does Malathion belong to?

Malathion is in the Cholinesterase Inhibitor class.

What is the chemical formula of Malathion?

Malathion has the molecular formula C10H19O6PS2 and a molecular weight of 330.35 g/mol.

Sources

• DrugCentral drug card 1626 — structure, indications, targets, approvals, pharmacologic classes (CC BY-SA 4.0)
• ChEMBL CHEMBL1200468 — compound record and bioactivity
• PubChem CID 4004 — chemical identifiers
• DrugBank DB00772 — drug record
• FDA UNII U5N7SU872W — substance identity
• DailyMed: FDA labels for Malathion — current prescribing information (label search)
• UniProt P48039 (MTNR1A) — target protein
• FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (openFDA FAERS) — adverse-event signals, as aggregated by DrugCentral

How this page is built: methodology · editorial policy & corrections.