Effect of paraoxon on erythrocyte metabolism as measured by oxygen uptake in vitro

1. Oxygen consumption in vitro and persistence in the general circulation of rabbit erythrocytes treated with the cholinesterase inhibitor paraoxon were determined.2. Paraoxon in vitro reduced oxygen consumption below a measureable level within 2 hours. By contrast, the metabolic inhibitor N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) produced complete inhibition within 15 minutes.3. Erythrocytes from rabbits orally dosed with parathion also exhibited marked depression of oxygen consumption.4. Glutathione (GSH) restored oxygen uptake to pretreatment levels within 15 min in erythrocytes previously inhibited with NEM or paraoxon.5. Erythrocytes treated with NEM were rapidly removed from the general circulation while paraoxon treated cells were removed at a rate comparable to untreated cells.