Medical Hypotheses
Volume 52, Issue 6 , Pages 557-559, June 1999

Aluminium-induced biphasic effect

Department of Pharmacology and Environmental Toxicology, Dr ALM Post Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Madras, Madras, India

Received 18 September 1997; accepted 15 October 1997.

Abstract 

Increased bioavailability of aluminium has raised concerns about the toxic effect of aluminium. The cholinotoxic effect of aluminium is already well established. The biological response of an organism following exposure to a chemical may be biphasic. Although aluminium-induced biphasic change has been reported in diverse organ systems, the biphasic effect on cholinergic system has received less attention. In vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated an aluminium-induced biphasic effect on the marker enzyme of cholinergic system, acetylcholinesterase. The biphasic effect of aluminium on the acetylcholinesterase enzyme activity may be due to the direct neurotoxic effect of the metal and the level of aluminium accumulated. Among various hypotheses, peroxidation-induced changes in the structure of membrane following aluminium accumulation seems to explain the biphasic effect of aluminium on acetylcholinesterase activity.

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PII: S0306-9877(97)90693-9

doi:10.1054/mehy.1997.0693

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 52, Issue 6 , Pages 557-559, June 1999