Monocrotophos toxicity and bioenergetics of muscle weakness in the rat.

Acute organophosphate pesticide poisoning is a common medical emergency with high fatality in agricultural communities of Asia. Organophosphate compounds inhibit acetylcholinesterase and prolonged neuromuscular weakness is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of poisoning. Organophosphate pesticide induced muscle weakness may not only arise from inhibition of acetylcholinesterase but also from non-cholinergic pathomechanisms, particularly mitochondrial dysfunction, affecting the production of sufficient ATP for muscle function.