Cholinesterase inhibition by aluminium phosphide poisoning in rats and effects of atropine and pralidoxime chloride

AIM: To investigate the cholinesterase inhibition and effect of atropine an d pralidoxime (PAM) treatment on the survival time in the rat model of alum inium phosphide (A1P) poisoning. METHODS: The rats were treated with A1P (1 0 mg/kg; 5.55 x LD50; ig) and the survival time was noted. The effect of at ropine (1 mg/kg, ip) and PAM (5 mg/kg, ip) was noted on the above. Atropine and PAM were administered 5 min after A1P. Plasma cholinesterase levels we re measured spectrophotometrically in the control and A1P treated rats 30 m in after administration. RESULTS: Treatment with atropine and PAM increased the survival time by 2.5 fold (1.4 h +/- 0.3 h vs 3.4 h +/- 2.5 h, P < 0.0 1) in 9 out of 15 animals and resulted in total survival of the 6 remaining animals. Plasma cholinesterase levels were inhibited by 47 %, (438 +/- 74) U/L in A1P treated rats as compared to control (840 +/- 90) U/L, (P < 0.01 ). CONCLUSION: This preliminary study concludes that A1P poisoning causes c holinesterase inhibition and responds to treatment with atropine and PAM.