Skip Navigation
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document
Use this QR code to view the newest version of this document

Your Environment. Your Health.

Publication Detail

Title: Current issues in organophosphate toxicology.

Authors: Costa, Lucio G

Published In Clin Chim Acta, (2006 Apr)

Abstract: Organophosphates (OPs) are one of the main classes of insecticides, in use since the mid 1940s. OPs can exert significant adverse effects in non-target species including humans. Because of the phosphorylation of acetylcholinesterase, they exert primarily a cholinergic toxicity, however, some can also cause a delayed polyneuropathy. Currently debated and investigated issues in the toxicology of OPs are presented in this review. These include: 1) possible long-term effects of chronic low-level exposures; 2) genetic susceptibility to OP toxicity; 3) developmental toxicity and neurotoxicity; 4) common mechanism of action; 5) mechanisms of delayed neurotoxicity; and 6) possible additional OP targets. Continuing and recent debates, and molecular advances in these areas, and their contributions to our understanding of the toxicology of OPs are discussed.

PubMed ID: 16337171 Exiting the NIEHS site

MeSH Terms: Acetylcholine/metabolism; Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism; Animals; Cholinesterase Inhibitors/pharmacology; Cholinesterase Inhibitors/toxicity; Humans; Insecticides/pharmacology*; Insecticides/toxicity; Nervous System Diseases/chemically induced; Nervous System Diseases/metabolism; Organophosphorus Compounds/pharmacology*; Organophosphorus Compounds/toxicity; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Back
to Top