In vitro inhibition of goat brain acetylcholinesterase by pure and commercial anticholinesterase pesticides.

In vitro inhibition of goat cerebellar acetylcholinesterase by pure and commercial anticholinesterase pesticides clearly indicates a remarkably high inhibitory effect of commercial carbamate and organophosphate pesticides containing a lower percentage of the respective active ingredients comparable to that of the known anticholinesterase agents such as DFP and physostigmine. It may be presumed that injudicious use of commercial formulations conduce severe toxicity in the nontarget mammalian species, namely, goat, and this response of the brain acetylcholinesterase may be utilized as a reliable bioindicator of pesticidal contamination of the terrestrial environment.