Biosynthesis of Cholinesterase-inhibitory Substances from Non-inhibitory Dialkyl Thiophosphates by Plant Tissues

Authors

Wallace H. Orgell, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Kunda A. Vaidya, Iowa State UniversityFollow
Eugene W. Hamilton, Iowa State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Research

Abstract

Aqueous solutions of the potassium salts of diethyl thiophosphate and diethyl dithiophosphate were applied to intact leaves of the following 10 plant species: alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis, Duchesne), American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis L.), velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medic.), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Weber), soybean (Glycine max, Merr.), lima bean (Phaseolus limensis Macf.), catnip (Nepeta cataria L.), and Virginia creeper (Hedera quinquefolia L.). After 24 to 72 hours, aqueous homogenates of all species, excepting carrot, inhibited the action of human plasma cholinesterase in vitro. Neither the plant homogenates nor the thiophosphate salts either separately or mixed brought about inhibition. It is postulated that dialkyl thio- or dithiophosphates are incorporated by intact living plant tissue into cholinesterase-inhibitory esters.

Publication Date

1959

Journal Title

Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science

Volume

66

Issue

1

First Page

145

Last Page

148

Copyright

©1959 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Recommended Citation

Orgell, Wallace H.; Vaidya, Kunda A.; and Hamilton, Eugene W. (1959) "Biosynthesis of Cholinesterase-inhibitory Substances from Non-inhibitory Dialkyl Thiophosphates by Plant Tissues," Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 66(1), 145-148.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol66/iss1/19