Walter Reed Army Institute of Research Whole Blood (WRAIR WB) cholinesterase assay rapidly determines the concentrations of both AChE and BChE in unprocessed whole blood, uses a minimally invasive blood sampling technique (finger prick), and is fully automated (using the Biomek 2000 robotic system). In human blood from volunteers given pyridostigmine bromide (30 mg single dose), RBC-AChE was ma...

In vivo effects of reversible inhibitors of cholinesterase activity were determined radiometrically in undiluted samples of erythrocytes and plasma. [14C]acetylcholine at substrate saturation, 25 degrees C and pH 7.4 permitted rapid and precise determination of butyrylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) and acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) activities. Reference values for acetylcholinesterase and buty...

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the cholinesterase inhibitors soman and pyridostigmine bromide (PB) on synaptic transmission in the CA1 field of rat hippocampal slices. Soman (1-100 nM, 10-15 min) decreased the amplitude of GABAergic postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) evoked by stimulation of Schaffer collaterals and recorded from CA1 pyramidal neurons. It also decreased the am...

Prolonged neuromuscular block occurs when suxamethonium is given after neostigmine or pyridostigmine; however, studies of edrophonium and suxamethonium have yielded conflicting results. We have studied, therefore, interactions between suxamethonium and all three anticholinesterases in rats anaesthetized with pentobarbitone. After recovery from an initial bolus of suxamethonium, saline, edrophon...

Parasympathetic dysfunction is an independent risk factor in patients with coronary artery disease; thus, cholinergic stimulation is a potential therapeutic measure that may be protective by acting on ventricular repolarization. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of pyridostigmine bromide (PYR), a reversible anticholinesterase agent, on the electrocardiographic variab...

One central health question remains unanswered 7 years after the war with Iraq: Is there a "Gulf War syndrome"? Within a few months of returning home in 1991, some of the 750,000 Gulf War veterans from the United States, Great Britain, and Canada began complaining of fatigue, headaches, joint pains, sleep disturbances, cognitive difficulties, and other physical (somatic) symptoms (1). Approxima...

Myocardial infarction (MI) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Exercise training and pharmacological treatments are important strategies to minimize the deleterious effects of MI. However, little is known about the effects of resistance training combined with pyridostigmine bromide (PYR) treatment on cardiac and autonomic function, as well as on the inflammatory prof...

BACKGROUND Since the 1991 Gulf War, concerns have been voiced about the effects on the health of veterans of Gulf War related medical and chemical exposures. METHODS Our cross-sectional study compared 1424 male Australian Gulf War veterans and a randomly sampled military comparison group (n = 1548). A postal questionnaire asked about the presence of current neurological type symptoms, medical...