Emerging significance of butyrylcholinesterase

Table 1 Potential roles of butyrylcholinesterase

Known functions	Metabolism of drugs and toxins (e.g., succinylcholine, carbamates, glucoalkaloids)
	Affected by dietary fats
	Influences the expression of metabolic syndrome, via action on lipids
Associations and predictors of outcomes in disease states	Nutritional status
	Hepatic disorders
	Cardiovascular disease	Acute coronary syndrome
		Acute myocardial infarction
	Injuries to brain and cerebrovascular and disease	Ischemic brain stroke
		Traumatic brain injury
	Alzheimer’s disease	Predisposition
		Onset
		Response to anticholinesterase medications
	Pre-eclampsia
	Inflammatory and infections	Sepsis
		HIV infection
		Hansen’s disease
	Other conditions	Wilsons disease
		Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus.

Table 2 Potential areas for studies in subjects with variant forms of butyrylcholinesterrase and therapeutic potential of the enzyme

Follow up of asymptomatic individuals for any protective or predictive role in cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease

Production from transgenic sources as a pharmacologic agent

Potential drug target