Acetylcholinesterase as a potential target of acute neurotoxic effects of lindane in rats.

The aim of our study was to investigate the possible involvement of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) in mediating the early phase of acute lindane neurotoxicity in rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 48) were divided into following groups: 1. control, saline-treated group; 2. dimethylsulfoxidetreated group; 3. group that received lindane dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide, in a dose of 8 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Eight animals from each group were sacrificed 0.5 and 4 h after treatment and brain samples were prepared for further analysis. AchE activity (mitochondrial and synaptosomal fraction) was determined in cerebral cortex, thalamus, hippocampus and nc. caudatus spectrophotometrically. A significant increase in mitochondrial AchE activity was detected in cortex and nc. caudatus of lindane-treated animals 0.5 h after administration (p < 0.05). This rise was sustained in nc. caudatus within 4 h after treatment (p < 0.05). In contrast, activity of synaptosomal AchE fraction was significantly increased only in thalamus 4 h after lindane administration (p < 0.05). An increase in AchE activity may be involved in mediating acute neurotoxic effects of lindane, at least in some brain structures in rats.