Mayberry_2015_J.Pharmacol.Toxicol.Methods_72_26

INTRODUCTION: Plasma cholinesterase activity levels of various species may be of interest to toxicologists or pathologists working with chemicals that interfere with the activity of plasma cholinesterase.
METHODS: We used a pH titration method to measure the plasma cholinesterase activity of six mammalian species.
RESULTS: Plasma cholinesterase activity varied up to 50-fold between species: sheep (88+/-45nM acetylcholine degraded per ml of test plasma per minute), cattle (94+/-35), western grey kangaroos (126+/-92), alpaca (364+/-70), rats (390+/-118) and horses (4539+/-721). DISCUSSION: We present a simple, effective technique for the assay of plasma cholinesterase activity levels from a range of species. Although labour-intensive, it requires only basic laboratory equipment.