Reduction of blood cholinesterase activities following administration of soman by different routes in guinea-pig.

The inhibition of erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity following intravenous, intraperitoneal, subcutaneous, or percutaneous administration of sublethal doses of soman in guinea-pig has been investigated. The inhibition was found to be almost completed within 1 min., 20 min., 60 min. or 90-120 min. respectively, the inhibition rates were of first order, and half-lives were dose dependent. The possibility of storage of soman after administration of sublethal doses was also examined by the injection of electric eel acetylcholinesterase. It is concluded that there is very little, if any, storage of free soman in the organism after injection of sublethal doses of soman.