Abstract

Galzigna, L., Ferraro, M. V., Manani, G., and Viola, A. (1973).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 129-133. Biochemical basis for the toxic effects of triethyl lead. The effects of triethyl lead (PbEt₃) have been studied in vitro on the cholinesterase activity of rat diaphragm and in vivo on serum cholinesterase in the dog. PbEt₃ dramatically increases the duration of succinylcholine-induced myoneural block and pyridine-2-aldoxime methiodide (PAM) is able to counteract both cholinesterase inhibition and the effects on neuromuscular transmission. On the other hand, PbEt₃ catalyses the rearrangement of catecholamines to aminochromes in vitro and inhibits catecholamine effect on smooth muscle contraction. The toxicity of PbEt₃ and particularly its action on the central nervous system can be explained by a combination of effects which might result from an upset of cholinergic and adrenergic central pathways due to the formation of endogenous psychotogenic complexes.