What is the Difference Between Bromethalin and Diphacinone

The key difference between bromethalin and diphacinone is that bromethalin is not an anticoagulant, whereas diphacinone is a non-anticoagulant substance.

Bromethalin and Diphacinone are two types of rodenticides. This means these are poisonous substances that can kill rodents. Bromethalin is a neurotoxin rodenticide that can damage the central nervous system of rodents. Diphacinone is a vitamin K antagonist having anticoagulant effects and is useful as a rodenticide. Generally, bromethalin works after a single dose, while diphacinone takes a longer time to work and also requires several feedings of the substance.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Bromethalin 
3. What is Diphacinone
4. Similarities – Bromethalin and Diphacinone
5. Bromethalin vs Diphacinone in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Bromethalin vs Diphacinone 

What is Bromethalin?

Bromethalin is a neurotoxin rodenticide that can damage the central nervous system of rodents. The chemical formula of this compound is C₁₄H₇Br₃F₃N₃O₄. The molar mass of this compound is 577.93 g/mol. The IUPAC name of bromethalin is N-methyl-2,4-dinitro-N-(2,4,6-tribromophenyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)aniline.

Moreover, this substance tends to work by being metabolized to n-desmethyl-bromethalin and uncoupling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. This causes a decrease in the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis. This decreased level of ATP can inhibit the activity of the sodium/potassium ATPase enzyme, leading to a subsequent buildup of cerebral spinal fluid and vacuolization of myelin. These conditions can eventually damage the central nervous system, leading to paralysis, convulsions, and death.

What is Diphacinone?

Diphacinone can be described as a vitamin K antagonist having anticoagulant effects. It is useful as a rodenticide. We can use this poison against rats, mice, voles, ground squirrels, and other rodents. This anticoagulant has an active half-life that is longer than other synthetic anticoagulants such as 1,3-indandione.

Moreover, diphacinone is toxic to mammals in all its forms. Exposure to this substance or oral ingestion can cause irregular heartbeat and major maladies associated with its impact on blood clotting, depending on the dose. It is a first-generation anticoagulant. Therefore, it is less toxic compared to second-generation compounds such as warfarin.

The chemical formula of this compound is C₂₃H₁₆O₃. The molar mass of this compound is about 340.37 g/mol. The IUPAC name is 2-(Diphenylacetyl)-1H-indene-1,3(2H)-dione. There are other chemical names that we can use to name this substance, such as Diphenandione, Difenacin, and Ratindan.

What is the Similarity Between Bromethalin and Diphacinone?

• Bromethalin and diphacinone are rodenticides. This means these are poisonous substances that can kill rodents.

What is the Difference Between Bromethalin and Diphacinone?

The key difference between bromethalin and diphacinone is that bromethalin is not an anticoagulant, whereas diphacinone is a non-anticoagulant substance. Furthermore, generally, bromethalin works after a single dose, while diphacinone takes a longer time to work and also requires several feedings of the substance. Therefore, bromethalin typically works faster than diphecinone. Bromethalin works after 1-2 days, whereas diphecinone takes longer to work; it may take up to 5 to 7 days, or may be up to 2 weeks

The below infographic presents the differences between bromethalin and diphacinone in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Bromethalin vs Diphacinone

Bromethalin is a neurotoxin rodenticide that can damage the central nervous system of the rodent. Diphacinone is a vitamin K antagonist having anticoagulant effects and is useful as a rodenticide. The key difference between bromethalin and diphacinone is that bromethalin is not an anticoagulant, whereas diphacinone is a non-anticoagulant substance.

Reference:

1. “Bromethalin.” An Overview | ScienceDirect Topics.
2. “Diphacinone.” Solutions Pest & Lawn.
3. “Rodenticides.” National Pesticide Information Center.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Brometalin Formula V.2” By Jü – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Diphenadione 2” By Ed (Edgar181) – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia