Clinico-biochemical use of serum acetylcholine esterase following treatment with synthetic pyrethroids, cypermethrin and fenvalerate, in cattle and buffalo experimentally infested with Boophilus microplus.

Following treatment, cypermethrin and fenvalerate, were found to have inhibitory effect on serum acetylcholine esterase (AchE) activity of cattle and buffalo experimentally infested with B. microplus. The pattern of AchE activity in infested-pyrethroid-treated group was found to be significantly different from either healthy or tick-infested control. There was transient increase in the enzyme activity initially, followed by gradual decline and subsequent increase leading to normal level within 7 days of pyrethroid treatment. The enzyme activity was found to be low in buffalo than in cattle and the values remained below normal level up to day 7 in tick-infested group. The reversion of AchE activity to normal level in pyrethroid-treated group indicated that these compounds are prompt and safe ixodicides with least residual effect. The present investigation concludes that estimation of serum AchE might help in the clinico-biochemical diagnosis of tick toxin and pyrethroid toxicity in cattle and buffalo treated with these pyrethroids against tick infestation.