Acetylcholinesterase activity in the brain of laboratory rat following intoxication with nerve paralytic agents.

Determination of acetylcholinesterase activity in the rat brain after VX intoxication and following decontamination The purpose of theses was to compare two different kinds of decontamination methods. The first was a standard one using a personal decontamination set IPB-80, and the second, a new method using a special decontamination glove. Experiments were conducted on laboratory female Wistar rats. Firstly VX compound was applied to shaved dorsal rat skin and subsequently one of the aforementioned decontamination methods was tested. All rats were killed by decapitation after 24 hours and their brains were removed. The activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was measured in the frontal cortex, basal ganglia and pontomedullar area. There was no significant difference observed between the two methods, the decontamination efficacy of each method being identical