title: Ethnic differences in the frequency of distribution of serum cholinesterase activity in the Iranian population.
abstract: One thousand Iranians belonging to 5 different Iranian ethnic groups were tested for butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity and phenotype. The phenotype was measured as percent inhibition in the presence of dibucaine. It was found that the Iranian population had an extraordinarily high frequency of the atypical variant of butyrylcholinesterase. 70% to 80% of Iranians carried the atypical mutation (Asp70Gly) on one allele. This contrasts with European and American populations where only 4% carry the atypical allele. The atypical variant of butyrylcholinesterase is known to be associated with prolonged apnea after administration of the muscle relaxants succinylcholine and mivacurium, and is also thought to be associated with abnormal sensitivity to cocaine toxicity. This study demonstrates that the ethnic background of a person has an important role in a person's response to drugs.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, Drug Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran. nvahdati@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vahdati-Mashhadian
authors.forename: Mohammad K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hassanzadeh
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hosseini
authors.forename: Ali A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saffareshargh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D002091:Butyrylcholinesterase