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The study objective was to test the hypothesis that simvastatin and fenofibrate should cause an increase in butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) activity not only in the plasma and liver but also in the brain of normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats. Catalytic enzyme activity was measured using acetylthiocholine (ATCh) and butyrylthiocholine (BTCh) as substrates. Normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats were divided in four groups receiving 50 mg/kg of simvastatin a day or 30 mg/kg of fenofibrate a day for three weeks and three control groups receiving saline. Simvastatin and fenofibrate caused an increase in brain BuChE activity in both normo- and hyperlipidemic rats regardless of the substrate. The increase with BTCh as substrate was significant and practically the same in normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats after simvastatin treatment (14–17% vs controls). Simvastatin and fenofibrate also increased liver and plasma BuChE activity in both normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic rats regardless of the substrate. In most cases the increase was significant. Considering the important role of BuChE in cholinergic transmission as well as its pharmacological function, it is necessary to continue investigations of the effects of lipid-lowering drugs on BuChE activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The butyrylcholinesterase activity in human blood is an important marker of healthiness. Either level of this enzyme – increased or otherwise – can indicate disease or intoxication. The most popular technique to assess the cholinesterase activity is the detection of thiocholine, a product of enzymatic hydrolysis of butyrylthiocholine. In this work, Ag-paste was used as SERS-substrate and a new technique was created for thiocholine detection. As explained below, the designed technique facilitates also determination of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity both in the buffer and in spike solution with human plasma. Ellman’s assay was used as a reference method, a good correlation between spectrophotometric detection and Raman detection was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is an enzyme presented in quite high level in blood plasma where it participates in detoxification reactions. Due to fact that the enzyme is constituted in livers, it is a marker of liver parenchyma function. It can be used for diagnosis of poisoning for e.g., nerve agents or carbofuran and intoxication by some drugs such as rivastigmine. The present experiment is devoted for the creation of new spectrophotometric tests for assay of BChE activity in biological samples. Standard Ellman's method was compared with use of 2,6-dichloroindophenol acetate and indoxylacetate as chromogenic substrates. Maximal velocities and Michaelis constants were calculated for the substrates. Considering calibration, 2,6-dichloroindophenol acetate provided the lowest limit of detection: 1.20×10−9 kat and a long linear range. All methods were verified using pooled human plasma samples and tested for potential interferents. 2,6-dichloroindophenol acetate is recommended as suitable substrate for BChE assay in clinical diagnostics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine has been observed in aqueous extracts from petunia pollen and pistils. The reproductive organs of self-compatible clone showed a higher rate of choline ester hydrolysis than those of self-incompatible clone. The highest rate of acetylthiocholine hydrolysis blocked by the cholinesterase inhibitors (physostigmine and neostigmine) was characteristic for the pollen of self-compatible clone. The incomplete (25 - 40 %) inhibition of hydrolysis in pistil extracts of self-compatible clone suggests the presence of unspecific esterases. The eight-fold lower hydrolysis was observed in the pistils of self-incompatible clone as compared to the pistils of compatible clone; neostigmine completely blocked this low hydrolytic activity. The treatment of flower buds with physostigmine and neostigmine (10-5 - 10-3 M) decreased the seed production by 10 - 20 % in compatible clone. When the surfaces of pistil stigmae were treated with physostigmine and neostigmine (10-5 - 10-3 M) before pollination, the seed formation was inhibited by 95 % after both self- and cross-pollination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]