Interaction of organophosphorus insecticides phosphamidon & malathion on lipid profile & acetylcholinesterase activity in human erythrocyte membrane.

The organophosphorus insecticides phosphamidon and malathion were found to inhibit the activity of human acetylcholinesterase in vitro, in the human erythrocyte membrane. Lineweaver-Burk analysis indicated that the insecticide induced inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity was uncompetitive in nature. The total lipid, cholesterol and phospholipid contents of erythrocyte membranes were reduced following phosphamidon and technical malathion treatment, while the level of lipid peroxidation was raised following malathion treatment.