title: Effects of neostigmine and edrophonium on human erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity.
abstract: Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in vivo were measured over 60 min using a spectrophotometric method after administration of neostigmine or edrophonium for antagonism of pancuronium-induced neuromuscular block in 31 patients. Erythrocyte AChE activities decreased to 11.3 (SD 1.2)% and 11.4 (0.8)% of baseline values (P less than 0.001) within 2 min, then recovered slowly and were 43.2 (6.2)% and 27.9 (2.9)% (P less than 0.001) 60 min after administration of neostigmine 0.036 mg kg-1 and 0.071 mg kg-1, respectively. However, the enzyme activity after edrophonium 1.43 mg kg-1 did not change significantly over 60 min. The results suggest that mechanisms other than AChE inhibition may be responsible for the anti-curare effect of edrophonium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hasimoto
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Iwatsuki
mesh_terms: D000110:Acetylcholinesterase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004491:Edrophonium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D009388:Neostigmine; D004491:Edrophonium; D000110:Acetylcholinesterase; D010197:Pancuronium