Sub‐chronic effect of neem based pesticide (Vepacide) on acetylcholinesterase and ATPases in rat

Abstract

Acetylcholinesterases (AChE), Na+‐K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+‐ATPases were monitored in rat brain when treated orally with 80, 160 and 320 mg/kg of Vepacide, an active ingredient from neem seed oil, daily for 90 days. Brain AChE, Na+‐K+ and Ca2+‐ATPases were inhibited whereas Mg2+‐ATPase levels were enhanced in both the sexes after 45 and 90 days of treatment. The relative sensitivities of these ATPases to Vepacide indicated that Ca2+‐ATPase being more sensitive than Na+‐K+‐ATPase in both the sexes. The magnitude of Ca2+‐ATPase inhibited by this compound was higher than that of brain AChE. It appears to be sexual dimorphism in the alterations of brain AChE, Na+‐K+ and Mg2+‐ATPases by Vepacide with females being significant when compared with males. After 28 days of post treatment the alterations observed were approached to those of controls both in male and female rats showing reversal of the toxicity. These results indicated that the ATPases were potently inhibited by Vepacide and seemed to be its precise target among the enzyme studied. This can be used as biochemical marker of exposure to this neem derived product.