Enzyme inhibition by molluscicidal component of Areca catechu and Carica papaya in the nervous tissue of vector snail Lymnaea acuminata

In the present study toxic effects of active molluscicidal component of Areca catechu and Carica papaya was studied on certain enzymes in the nervous tissue of freshwater snail Lymnaea acuminata. In in vivo and in vitro exposure of arecoline (active component of Areca catechu seed) and papain (C. papaya latex and seed) significantly inhibited the acetylcholinesterase (AChE), acid and alkaline phosphatase (ACP/ALP) activity in the nervous tissue of L. acuminata. The inhibition kinetics of these enzymes indicate that arecoline and papain caused competitive and uncompetitive inhibition of AChE, respectively, whereas arecoline caused competitive-non-competitive inhibition of ACP/ALP and papain caused non-competitive inhibition of ACP/ALP. Thus the inhibition of AChE, ACP and ALP by arecoline and papain in the nervous tissue of L. acuminata may be the cause of molluscicidal activity of A. catechu and C. papaya, respectively.