Acetylcholine receptors cytotoxicity

The third factor is that PAs are extremely effective broad-spectrum feeding deterrents. Numerous species spanning 11 plant families have made use of this attribute (Hartmann and Ober, 2000). Arctiids and other PA-pharmocophagous insects have converted antiherbivore defenses to antipredator defenses. We know little about the mechanisms by which PAs affect their unpalatability. It seems unlikely that the long-term cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of PAs are relevant to their fast-acting deterrency. Recent work has indicated that some PAs bind to acetylcholine receptors (Schmeller et al., 1997) however, further study is required to understand the mode of action of the PAs. 

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