Inhibition of sheep brain acetylcholinesterase by hexachlorophene

Abstract

Hexachlorophene (HCP) is a broad spectrum fungicide and bacteriocide (Nakaue et al. 1972) used as an anthelmintic agent in sheep (Hall and Reid 1972). HCP is neurotoxic and its neuropathology includes paralysis associated with edema and spongy degeneration of cerebral white matter (Lockhart 1972; Shuman et al. 1973). Since HCP is an established neurotoxicant, it is possible that neurotransmission could also be affected. As a majority of neurons in sheep brain are cholinergic in action, an attempt has been made in this study to assess the response of acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) to HCP treatment in vitro.