Serum cholinesterase inhibitors in the commercial hexane impurities.
Commercial hexane was concentrated by distillation. The distillation residue (0.43 ml/l original solvent) contains material which inhibits human serum cholinesterase (ChE) "in vitro" with a slight effect on acetylcholinesterase. Phosphorus was detected equivalent to 0.33 mumol monophosphorus compound/litre original solvent. The inhibition was progressive with the enzyme-inhibitor preincubation time. A partial reactivation of the inhibited enzyme was obtained by treatment with hydroxylamine and 2-PAM. The results are coherent with a covalent inactivation by more than one inhibitor which acylate (probably phosphorylate) ChE, although it seems likely that a reversible but unstable inhibitor could also be present in the hexane residue. The results are discussed in the context of the known neurotoxic effects of n-hexane and some organophosphorus esters.
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis*; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000032:analysis; D004340:Drug Contamination; D006586:Hexanes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis
D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D006586:Hexanes; D010758:Phosphorus; D002802:Cholinesterases