Omeprazole inhibited human and rat serum cholinesterase by approximately 5 to 60% over the 0.5 to 50 mg/L (1.4-140 microM) concentration range. In contrast lansoprazole only produced 20-30% inhibition at the highest concentration of 10 mg/L (29 microM). Thus omeprazole but not lansoprazole is likely to potentiate the effect of succinylcholine at human clinical concentrations by inhibiting its hydrolysis in vivo by serum cholinesterases.