In vitro inhibition of rabbit and guinea pig erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase by soman

Guinea pig and rabbit erythrocytes were incubated with a high concentration of soman to achieve zero acetylcholinesterase activity. After washing with saline, the erythrocytes were incubated with horse plasma butylrylcholines terase. The inhibition of plasma butrylcholinesterase ase activity was obse rved because of inhibitor release from the erythrocytes. This release was q uantified and found to be the highest after 30 min of incubation. Our resul ts confirm that erythrocytes can serve as a depot for soman and make it pos sible to lengthen its toxic effects. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rig hts reserved.