6533b7d4fe1ef96bd1263485
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Use of atropine-treated Daphnia magna survival for detection of environmental contamination by acetylcholinesterase inhibitors.
Félix CarvalhoLúcia GuilherminoM.sánchez Martı́nezInês MachadoAmadeu M.v.m. Soaressubject
AtropineSurvivalHealth Toxicology and MutagenesisDaphnia magnaMuscarinic AntagonistsBiologyPharmacologyParaoxonToxicologychemistry.chemical_compoundMuscarinic acetylcholine receptormedicineAnimalsreproductive and urinary physiologyParaoxonfungiPublic Health Environmental and Occupational HealthGeneral Medicinebiology.organism_classificationPollutionAcetylcholinesteraseAtropineNicotinic agonistchemistryDaphniaToxicityCholinergicCholinesterase InhibitorsBiomarkersWater Pollutants Chemicalmedicine.drugdescription
The toxicity of cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds (e.g., carbamates and organophosphates) is due to a decrease in acetylcholine metabolism, which results in a continuous stimulation of cholinergic receptors (muscarinic and nicotinic) that can be fatal. The goal of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of atropine (muscarinic receptor antagonist) against paraoxon-induced toxicity to Daphnia magna using its survival rate for the detection of environmental contamination by cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds. As expected, paraoxon was lethal to D. magna in a concentration-dependent manner. Noteworthy, the pretreatment of these organisms with atropine dramatically increased their survival against paraoxon. These results indicate that muscarinic stimulation plays an important role in paraoxon-induced lethality in D. magna. Therefore, simply by using the survival of atropine-treated and nontreated D. magna, water contamination by cholinesterase-inhibiting compounds may be rapidly and specifically detected.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-01-28 | Ecotoxicology and environmental safety |