To correlate activity of acylpeptide hydrolase with severity of organophosphorus poisoning

Organophosphorus poisoning is globally major clinical problem with thousands of deaths occurring every year. Organophosphates are potent inhibitors of the enzymes such as Acetyl Cholinesterase, Butyryl Cholinesterase and Acylpeptide Hydrolase. A present study includes 50 Organophosphorus poisoned patients in which 8 were mild, 24 were moderate and 18 were severe. All these patients belongs to age range 16–60 years. As compared to healthy controls, the activities of Acetyl Cholinesterase, Butyryl Cholinesterase and Acylpeptide Hydrolase were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in Organophosphorus poisoned patients. It is found that Acylpeptide Hydrolase is more sensitive to Organophosphorus compounds in case of mild poisoning while Acetyl Cholinesterase is more sensitive in moderately and severely poisoned patients. Acetyl Cholinesterase correlates best with clinical severity. The results obtained from our finding in different grades of Organophosphorus poisoning and healthy controls shows that Acetyl Cholinesterase is a very sensitive and specific biochemical marker of Organophosphorus poisoning as compared to Butyryl Cholinesterase and erythrocytic Acylpeptide Hydrolase.