Connections between rodenticides and drugs: a review of natural compounds with ecological,biocidal and medical applications

Natural products have inspired over 60% of today’s drugs and biocides, including rodenticides, with examples such as warfarin, fluoroacetate and cholecalciferol. Fluoroacetate is a toxic component of poisonous plants found in Australia, Africa, South America and India and is thought to deter herbivores. Together with other rodenticides it has medical applications. In relation to its use for the control of unwanted introduced animals in New Zealand, research has focused on mode of action, sub-lethal effects, welfare, reducing its risk to non-target species, and fate in the environment following use in baits. Less attention has been placed on its role in nature. In this paper the natural occurrence of bioactives that have stimulated the development of rodenticides are reviewed and links between biocidal and medical applications are explored.