The Rat (Rattus norvegicus) as a Model Object for Acute Organophosphate Poisoning. 1. Biochemical Aspects

Abstract

The long-term effects of acute organophosphate (OP) poisoning remain poorly studied, while experimental models usually disregard species-related specificity of rodents as model objects. Here we present two toxicological models and a comparative analysis of a wide range of biochemical blood indices in their dynamics over 3 months after acute rat poisoning with paraoxon. As expected, the most sensitive biochemical index within the first hours and days after OP poisoning was whole blood acetylcholinesterase activity, which decreased by almost an order of magnitude in all experimental groups 3 h after poisoning. Changes in the parameters of carbohydrate and fat metabolism (triglyceride, free fatty acid, D-3-hydroxybutyrate, cholesterol and glycerol levels) were detected in experimental groups at different time points after poisoning. Statistically significant changes in a number of biochemical markers were found in positive control rats relative to intact rodents.