Motor unit irritability in Beagles Before and after exposure to cholinesterase inhibitors

Electromyographic (EMG) examinations were performed on Beagles before and for 7 days after oral administration of one of the following organophosphate (OP) compounds; ronnel (55.0 or 110.0 mg/kg), dichlorvos (29.7, 59.4, or 148.5 mg/kg), or cythioate (24.8 or 33.0 mg/kg). The EMG values determined were evoked potentials, after-discharge activity, F-wave activity, nerve conduction velocity, and motor unit potential activity associated with interosseous and pectineal reflexes. Erythrocyte cholinesterase (ChE) activities were measured in some dogs. Ronnel did not have an effect on ChE activity, whereas dichlorvos and cythioate, at all dosage levels, had an inhibitory effect. Some dogs had minor signs of OP toxicosis. The EMG changes for individual OP compounds were not statistically significant (P greater than 0.05), but pooled results revealed an increased duration of evoked potentials, increased after-discharge activity, and decreased F-wave activity; however, only the effect on duration was significant (P less than 0.05). Reflex motor unit potential activity and nerve conduction velocities were not affected. Effects of neostigmine (0.1 to 0.4 mg/kg) given IV to anesthetized, atropinized Beagles were similar to those effects shown by pooled data for the OP compounds, but considerably more muscle fasciculation was produced. Results of this study indicate that even when erythrocyte ChE activity is reduced by OP compounds at dosage levels that produce no or minimal visible signs of toxicosis, EMG reveals little evidence for increased motor unit irritability.