ABSTRACT
For almost as many years as acetylcholine (ACh) has been recognized as a neurotransmitter (Loewi, 1936), the vital role of acetylcholinesterase (AChE, EC 3.1.1.7) in terminating cholinergic neurotransmission (Taylor, 1996) has been recognized. As a matter of record, the importance of an enzyme or a pathway has often been demonstrated by the effects of its inhibition. So it has been with cholinergic mechanisms. The many AChE inhibitors have helped elucidate AChE’s functions, and, conversely, a knowledge of its functions has helped to pinpoint the site of action of many toxins.
