Quantitative and Qualitative Changes in the Skeletal Muscle Acetylcholinesterase Activity of Oreochromis niloticus Exposed to Methylparathion

Abstract

Spectrophotometric assays and histochemical tests for acetylcholinesterase activity in the epaxial skeletal muscle of maturing Oreochromis niloticus after in-vivo exposure to 0.10 mg/L methylparathion showed significant inhibition of the enzyme by the pesticide. The assays manifested enzyme inhibition, after 48 and 96 hours of exposure, of 43.19% and 56.62%, respectively. These results were confirmed by the occurrences of decreased sites of acetylcholinesterase activity in the muscle fibers as exhibited upon performance of histochemical tests.