Neuropathy target esterase (NTE), thought to be the target for organophosphate polyneuropathy, is operationally defined as that neural phenyl valerate esterase resistant to paraoxon (40 microM) and sensitive to mipafox (50 microM; 20 min, pH 8.0, 37 degrees C). The time course of inhibition of particulate paraoxon pretreated esterases by mipafox showed that the lines indicating the rate of inhibition did not pass through the log 100% activity when extrapolated at zero time. Slopes of inhibition of NTE were not linearly related to the concentration of mipafox. Kinetic parameters derived from Wilkinson type plots were: Ka = 49-199 microM, k(+2) = 0.24-0.64 min(-1) and k(a) = 3.1-5.0 mM(-1) m(-1). When mipafox was removed (either by dilution or centrifugation) before the addition of phenyl valerate intercepts below 100% disappeared. We confirm that the formation of Michaelis complex between NTE and mipafox is not prevented by phenyl valerate and that inhibition proceeds after addition of phenyl valerate. We compared inhibitions obtained with experiments by using the traditional method (sequential incubation with inhibitors and phenyl valerate) to those obtained with a method where mipafox is removed before the addition of substrate. When calculating fixed-time 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of some inhibitors for NTE, the longer the hydrolysis time, the lower were the IC50s. Therefore, the inhibitory potency of certain NTE inhibitors, is accurately assessed only when calculating second-order rate constants (k(a)).