Salivation, lacrimation, urination, and defecation

The effects of ACh on bodily secretions and excretion are generally stimulatory. They may be remembered with the mnemonic SLUD —increased salivation, lacrimation, urination and defecation. 

Regardless of their subclassification, all of these compounds have the identical mechanism of action, which is inhibition of acetylcholinesterase at nerve junctions where the molecule acetylcholine is the neuotransmitter. Most acute signs of toxicity are expressed as uncontrollable activity of the nervous system, which clinically is presented as salivation, lacrimation, urination, defecation, and dyspnea. After lethal doses, death results from failure of the respiratory system. Variations in the specific nerves affected, in how the body metabolizes the individual chemical, in where the chemical enters the body, and in the route of administration employed will change the specific clinical presentation seen for an individual exposure scenario. 

Neurological effects, such as muscle twitching, ataxia, and increased salivation, urination, defecation, and lacrimation were observed in male Sprague-Dawley rats exposed to >65.1 mg/m... 

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