US EPA

7450155 

Journal Article 

Acetylcholinesterase concentrations in heparinized blood of Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis) 

Tully, TN; Osofsky, A; Jowett, PL; Hosgood, G 

2003 

1 

Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine
ISSN: 1042-7260 

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians 

34 

4 

411-413 

English 

15077720 

10.1638/02-004 

WOS:000220220400013 

Organophosphate and carbamate pesticides inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE) at nerve synapses. Blood samples from 22 Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona ventralis) were assayed for cholinesterase levels by two different techniques. Using the modified Michel method, the whole-blood cholinesterase activity levels ranged from 0.082 to 0.616 deltapH/hr with a mean value of 0.35 deltapH/hr. A reference range (0.08-0.62 deltapH/hr) for cholinesterase was established in birds. The modified Ellman spectrophotometric method was used to measure AChE activity by adding acetylthiocholine or pseudocholinesterase (plasma cholinesterase) activity by adding butyrylthiocholine. The reference range of the AChE activity using the modified Ellman spectrophotometric method was 0-1.12 micromol/ml/min with a mean of 0.48 micromol/ml/min, and for pseudocholinesterase the range was 0.09-0.98 micromol/ml/min with a mean of 0.53 micromol/ml/min. 

Amazona ventralis; Cholinesterase; Hispaniolan Amazon parrot; Organophosphate; Paralysis; Amazona ventralis; Animalia; Aves; Psittacidae