In Vitro inhibition of acetylcholinesterase from four marine species by organophosphates and carbamates

Abstract

The literature on the biological, physical, and pharmaceutical chemistry of cholinesterase is considerable and includes data on activators and inhibitors. Most of the work on specific anticholinesterasic agents has been concerned with carbamates and organophosphates. Because of the sensitivity of acetylcholinesterase to carbamates and organophosphates, the enzyme has been used as a biochemical indicator of pollution by these agents. However, the chemical reactivity of such chemicals has not been correlated with their effect on Ache and it is impossible to accurately predict biological effects based only on structure. The objectives of this study were to investigate the sensitivity of various marine animals to both organo-phosphates and carbamates. The study was conducted by assessing the in vitro effect of five organophosphates and three carbamates on acetylcholinesterase activity from the muscle of the shrimp Palaemon serratus, the fishes Scomber and Pleuronectes platessa, and from the whole mussels Mytilus edulis. All these species could be used for the monitoring of effect of pollutants.