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

  • Elena Catap
  • Glorina Pocsidio

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.
Published
2007-09-20
Section
Articles