RESUMO
The exact role of serum pseudocholinesterase (PSCE) is not known. Its main role probably consists in the degradation of butyril-choline, an intermediate of lipid metabolism. Decreased values have been described in liver cirrhosis as an index of diminished proteosynthetic function. An increased activity of this enzyme was reported in obesity, diabetes mellitus, nephrosis, hyperthyroidism and in hyperlipemic subjects without obesity. A significant correlation was found between serum cholesterol, triglycerides and PSCE, as an expression of lipid metabolism. In view of assessing the possible change of this enzyme during fattening, the authors investigated PSCE activity during fattening in pigs (the same breed). The results indicate a statistically significant increase of PSCE during fattening, from 30.4 +/- 1.7 to 43.6 +/- 1.7 (p less than 0.001). These results together with those reported in a previous paper concerning blood lipids and cholesterol, show a positive correlation between these parameters and PSCE during fattening in pigs, which might be due to an adaptative increase of the hepatic synthesis of this enzyme in response to the increased lipid metabolism.