Piperonyl Butoxide

Mechanism-of-action class: Enzyme Inhibitors.

• ​Uses ​ ​Uses treats head lice, pubic (crab) lice, and body liceICD-10: B85.0

​ ​Directions ​Important: Read warnings before use. adults and children 2 years and over: Inspect check each household member with a magnifying glass in bright light for lice/nits (eggs) look for tiny nits near scalp, beginin at back of neck and behind ears examine small sections of hair at a time unlike dandruff which moves when touched, nits stick to the hair if either lice or nits are found, treat with this product ​Treat apply thoroughly to dry hair or other affected area. For head lice, first apply behind ears and to back of neck. allow product to remain for 10 minutes, but no longer use warm water to form a lather, shampoo, then thoroughly rinse for head lice, towel dry hair and comb out tangles. ​Remove lice and their eggs (nits) use a fine-tooth or special lice/nit comb. Remove any remaining nits by hand (using a throw-away glove.) hair should remain slightly damp while removing nits if hair dries during combing dampen slightly with water for head lice, part hair into sections. Do one section at a time starting on top of head. Longer hair may take 1 to 2 hours. life a 1- to 2- inch wide strand of hair. Place comb as close to scalp as possible and comb with a firm, even motion away from scalp. Pin back each strand of hair after combing clean comb often. Wipe nits away with tissue and discard in a plastic bag. Seal bag and discard to prevent lice froom coming back. after combing, thoroughly recheck for lice/nits. Repeat combing if necessary.

​Warnings ​ For external use only. Do not use near eyes inside nose, mouth or vagina on lice in eyebrows or eyelashes. See a doctor if lice are present in these areas. Ask a doctor before us if you are allergic to ragweed, May cause breathing difficulty or an asthmatic attack. When using this product keep eyes tightly closed and protect eyes with a washcloth or towel if product gets in eyes, flush with water right away scalp itching or redness may occur. Stop use and ask doctor if breathing difficulty occurs eye irrirtation occurs skin or scalp irritation continues or infection occurs Keep out of reach of children If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.

1. 1Drug Ineffective222%
2. 2Therapy Non-responder222%
3. 3Abdominal Pain111%
4. 4Application Site Pain111%
5. 5Chemical Burn111%
6. 6Crying111%
7. 7Diarrhoea111%
8. 8Drug Resistance111%
9. 9Emotional Distress111%
10. 10Expired Product Administered111%
11. 11Hodgkin^s Disease111%
12. 12Lip Swelling111%
13. 13Liver Injury111%
14. 14Product Formulation Issue111%
15. 15Pruritus111%

Recent PubMed references pinned to Piperonyl Butoxide as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

• Reduced Efficacy of Piperonyl Butoxide Based Long-Lasting Insecticide-Treated Nets Against Malaria Vectors in Western Kenya.
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026 · Kahindi S, Abel L, Kirwa E, et al.
  PMID 42049017DOI 10.4269/ajtmh.25-0342
• Reproductive and Neurobehavioral Effects of Combined Exposure to Dinotefuran and Piperonyl Butoxide in an F(1) Generation of Mice.
  Birth defects research · 2026 · Tanaka T, Inomata A
  PMID 41705366DOI 10.1002/bdr2.70035
• Fabric integrity, net type and risk index predict attrition of insecticide-treated nets: evidence from a community durability trial of pyrethroid-piperonyl butoxide (PBO) nets in Tanzania.
  Malaria journal · 2025 · Mvungi NJ, Odufuwa OG, Ruzige PD, et al.
  PMID 41387863DOI 10.1186/s12936-025-05704-z
• Incorporation of a pyrethroid-based insecticide system into regenerated cellulose: interfacial interactions and effect on fiber formation.
  Carbohydrate polymers · 2026 · Brake S, Gomez-Maldonado D, Zohdy S, et al.
  PMID 41274734DOI 10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.124569
• Do Piperonyl Butoxide Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Nets Provide Additional Protection Against Malaria Infections Compared with Conventional Nets in an Operational Setting in Western Kenya?
  The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2026 · Rascón-García K, Lapp Z, Markwalter CF, et al.
  PMID 41252747DOI 10.4269/ajtmh.25-0211
• Timing is everything: a simple chemical method to determine the bioavailable surface concentration of insecticide for insecticide-treated net evaluation.
  Malaria journal · 2025 · Skovmand O, Dang DM, Tran TQ, et al.
  PMID 41163057DOI 10.1186/s12936-025-05602-4
• Piperonyl butoxide induces a unique gene expression of both detoxification and lipid metabolism genes and is independent of nutrition, microbiota, and genetic background.
  Pesticide biochemistry and physiology · 2025 · Pfannenstiel LJ, Dressel AE, De Guzman GAO, et al.
  PMID 41162090DOI 10.1016/j.pestbp.2025.106708
• In Vitro Evaluation of the Combined Toxicity of Pirimiphos-methyl and Piperonyl Butoxide.
  Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias · 2025 · Campos FMCO, Garcia EB, Brito TM, et al.
  PMID 41124493DOI 10.1590/0001-3765202520241526

The 10 most recently updated of 12 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Piperonyl Butoxide as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.

• Net Transition Initiative: Efficacy of Two Next-generation Nets for Control of Malaria in Cote d'Ivoire
  Active not recruiting · Interventional · 1,650 enrolled · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  NCT05796193updated 2026-03-19
• LLIN Evaluation in Uganda Project (LLINEUP3)
  Completed · Interventional · 215,903 enrolled · University of California, San Francisco
  NCT05950191updated 2026-01-20
• RTSS Vaccine and PBO Net Impact on Malaria Infection and Transmission in Malawi
  Completed · Observational · 1,691 enrolled · Michigan State University
  NCT04327440updated 2026-01-13
• Safety and Efficacy of Head-lice Treatments Elimax Green Lotion and Walgreens Lice Killing Shampoo
  Recruiting · Interventional · 86 enrolled · Oystershell NV
  NCT07191457updated 2025-09-24
• Efficacy of Three Novel Bi-treated Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets
  Completed · Interventional · 4,200 enrolled · London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  NCT03554616updated 2024-11-26
• LLIN Evaluation in Uganda Project
  Completed · Interventional · 32,895 enrolled · University of California, San Francisco
  NCT04566510updated 2024-11-14
• Adaptive Interventions for Optimizing Malaria Control: a Cluster-Randomized SMART Trial
  Completed · Interventional · 122,872 enrolled · University of California, Irvine
  NCT04182126updated 2024-10-15
• Mass Drug Administration of Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine + Single Low-dose Primaquine to Accelerate Toward Elimination Activities
  Completed · Interventional · 10,715 enrolled · University of California, San Francisco
  NCT04864444updated 2024-06-24
• Estimating the Malaria Prevention Impact of New Nets: Observational Analyses to Evaluate the Evidence Generated During Piloted New Net Distributions in Mozambique
  Completed · Observational · 8,726 enrolled · PATH
  NCT04716387updated 2022-12-15
• Estimating the Malaria Prevention Impact of New Nets: Observational Analyses to Evaluate the Evidence Generated During Piloted New Net Distributions in Burkina Faso
  Completed · Observational · 5,606 enrolled · PATH
  NCT04157894updated 2022-12-13

Frequently asked questions

How does Piperonyl Butoxide work?

Mechanism-of-action class: Enzyme Inhibitors.

What is Piperonyl Butoxide used for?

According to FDA labeling, Piperonyl Butoxide carries indications including: ​Uses ​ ​Uses treats head lice, pubic (crab) lice, and body lice. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.

What class of drug is Piperonyl Butoxide?

Piperonyl Butoxide is classified as Enzyme Inhibitors, Antipruritic Activity.

What are the brand names for Piperonyl Butoxide?

Piperonyl Butoxide is marketed under brand names including Herklin, Pronto, Pronto Plus, RID, Tegrin-LT Shampoo, Vanalice.