DETERMINACIÓN DE COLINESTERASA ERITROCITARIA EN LOS TRABAJADORES AGRÍCOLAS EXPUESTOS A PLAGUICIDAS EN LA PARROQUIA RÍO CHICO DEL CANTÓN PORTOVIEJO

Abstract

Pesticides are very useful substances for the protection and conservation of crops, however, exposure to these products, causes effects on the health of people engaged in agriculture due to its high degree of toxicity. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is the marker enzyme of the cholinergic system, it is attached to the membranes of the neurons in the ganglionic synapses of the neuromuscular structure of the organism and in the erythrocytes. The insecticides of the organophosphorus type more than the carbamates, have inhibitory effect of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase. Its decrease below 50% of the initial value may indicate severe poisoning. For this reason, AChE levels were determined in agricultural workers exposed to pesticides in the Parroquia Río Chico del Cantón Portoviejo. We included 15 supposedly healthy people in a control group and 30 in an experimental group who fulfilled with having more than one year of occupation in agriculture in contact with pesticides, being of legal age, not taking neurotoxic drugs, having no history of cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or liver and kidney diseases. All participants signed an informed consent. Surveys and biochemical measurement of AChE were applied, using the Ellman method with the Cobas 501-Roche biochemistry team. In this study, all agricultural workers were male, with a primary level of education, age range of 45 to 53 years. They had not received training on the use and proper handling of the pesticides they use in their work, it was found that some cases had intoxications prior to the study and most of the group studied did not use any type of protection measures against contact with agrochemicals. The average levels of enzymatic activity of AChE in both the control and experimental groups were within the reference values of Netlab, however those in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group, and this may be related to the initiation of possible chronic intoxication. The practice of inappropriate habits during the workday, not taking measures after exposure to agrochemicals, the non-use of personal protective equipment and the use of glyphosate, were related to the presented symptomatology and the values obtained in the experimental group