Rat brain acetylcholinesterase response to monocrotophos and abate

All the reagents used in the present study were obtained from SIGMA and used without further purification. Technical grade of MCP (purity > 95%) was a gift from NOCIL, Bombay and abate (purity > 95.5%) from VOLHRO, Hyderabad. Male Wistar strain rats weighing about 120 + 5 gms used in the present experiment were obtained from Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology, Hyderabad. They were housed in polypropylene cages (shoe box cage with stainless steel grill tops 29x22x13.5 cms.) maintained at 22 + 2 ~ C with 55+10% relative humidity at 12 hours dark and 12 hours light cycles. The animals had free access to food (supplied by Lipton India Ltd., Bangalore) and sterile drinking water. The rats were divided into two groups and orally administered LD50 doses of 20 mg/kg MCP and 8,600 mg/kg abate respectively. Send reprint request to J V Rao at the above address