hlo-7 and Organophosphate-Poisoning

Anticholinesterases, such as organophosphorus pesticides and warfare nerve agents, present a significant health threat. Onset of symptoms after exposure can be rapid, requiring quick-acting, efficacious therapy to mitigate the effects. The goal of the current study was to identify the safest antidote with the highest therapeutic index (TI = oxime 24-hr LD50/oxime ED50) from a panel of four oximes deemed most efficacious in a previous study. The oximes tested were pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM Cl), MMB4 DMS, HLö-7 DMS, and obidoxime Cl2. The 24-hr median lethal dose (LD50) for the four by intramuscular (IM) injection and the median effective dose (ED50) were determined. In the ED50 study, male guinea pigs clipped of hair received 2x LD50 topical challenges of undiluted Russian VX (VR), VX, or phorate oxon (PHO) and, at the onset of cholinergic signs, IM therapy of atropine (0.4 mg/kg) and varying levels of oxime. Survival was assessed at 3 hr after onset clinical signs. The 3-hr 90th percentile dose (ED90) for each oxime was compared to the guinea pig pre-hospital human-equivalent dose of 2-PAM Cl, 149 µmol/kg. The TI was calculated for each OP/oxime combination. Against VR, MMB4 DMS had a higher TI than HLö-7 DMS, whereas 2-PAM Cl and obidoxime Cl2 were ineffective. Against VX, MMB4 DMS > HLö-7 DMS > 2-PAM Cl > obidoxime Cl2. Against PHO, all performed better than 2-PAM Cl. MMB4 DMS was the most effective oxime as it was the only oxime with ED90 < 149 µmol/kg against all three topical OPs tested.

Topics: Animals; Antidotes; Atropine; Chemical Warfare Agents; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Cholinesterase Reactivators; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Guinea Pigs; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Muscarinic Antagonists; Obidoxime Chloride; Organophosphate Poisoning; Organothiophosphorus Compounds; Oximes; Pesticides; Pralidoxime Compounds; Pyridinium Compounds; Time Factors

The currently fielded pre-hospital therapeutic regimen for the treatment of organophosphorus (OP) poisoning in the United States (U.S.) is the administration of atropine in combination with an oxime antidote (2-PAM Cl) to reactivate inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Depending on clinical symptoms, an anticonvulsant, e.g., diazepam, may also be administered. Unfortunately, 2-PAM Cl does not offer sufficient protection across the range of OP threat agents, and there is some question as to whether it is the most effective oxime compound available. The objective of the present study is to identify an oxime antidote, under standardized and comparable conditions, that offers protection at the FDA approved human equivalent dose (HED) of 2-PAM Cl against tabun (GA), sarin (GB), soman (GD), cyclosarin (GF), and VX, and the pesticides paraoxon, chlorpyrifos oxon, and phorate oxon. Male Hartley guinea pigs were subcutaneously challenged with a lethal level of OP and treated at approximately 1 min post challenge with atropine followed by equimolar oxime therapy (2-PAM Cl, HI-6 DMS, obidoxime Cl₂, TMB-4, MMB4-DMS, HLö-7 DMS, MINA, and RS194B) or therapeutic-index (TI) level therapy (HI-6 DMS, MMB4-DMS, MINA, and RS194B). Clinical signs of toxicity were observed for 24 h post challenge and blood cholinesterase [AChE and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE)] activity was analyzed utilizing a modified Ellman's method. When the oxime is standardized against the HED of 2-PAM Cl for guinea pigs, the evidence from clinical observations, lethality, quality of life (QOL) scores, and cholinesterase reactivation rates across all OPs indicated that MMB4 DMS and HLö-7 DMS were the two most consistently efficacious oximes.

Topics: Animals; Antidotes; Atropine; Chemical Warfare Agents; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Cholinesterase Reactivators; Cholinesterases; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Monitoring; Drug Therapy, Combination; Guinea Pigs; Injections, Intramuscular; Injections, Subcutaneous; Male; Muscarinic Antagonists; Organophosphate Poisoning; Oximes; Pesticides; Pyridinium Compounds; Random Allocation

1. The effect of pyridostigmine on cardiorespiratory function after oxime + atropine injection was investigated in tabun poisoned guinea-pigs and without tabun poisoning. 2. The trachea, a carotid artery and jugular vein were cannulated in female urethane-anaesthetised Pirbright-white guinea-pigs. After baseline measurements the animals received pyridostigmine (0.05 mumol kg-1) and 30 min later atropine (29.5 mumol kg-1) plus obidoxime, HI 6 or HLö 7 (30 or 100 mumol kg-1) or tabun (1.85 mumol kg-1 = 5 x LD50) followed by oxime + atropine treatment (all i.v.). Erythrocyte, brain and diaphragm acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were determined. Similar groups without pretreatment were included for comparison. 3. Pyridostigmine aggravated the oxime + atropine induced hypotension and prevented the increase in heart rate but not the respiratory stimulation. The pyridostigmine inhibited AChE recovered only in the 100 mumol kg-1 kg oxime groups at the end of the experiment. 4. In tabun poisoning, pyridostigmine reduced the oxime + atropine induced circulatory recovery and decreased the survival time and rate. It did not affect the therapeutic oxime + atropine effect on respiratory function. 5. These results suggest that pyridostigmine enhances oxime + atropine related circulatory depression which may be the reason for the reduced efficacy of oxime + atropine treatment in tabun poisoning. The possible mechanisms are discussed.

Topics: Animals; Atropine; Blood Pressure; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Cholinesterase Reactivators; Female; Guinea Pigs; Heart Rate; Hemodynamics; Injections, Intravenous; Obidoxime Chloride; Organophosphate Poisoning; Organophosphates; Oximes; Pyridines; Pyridinium Compounds; Pyridostigmine Bromide; Respiration

The oxime HI 6 (in combination with atropine) is considered to be an effective antidote in soman intoxication but was shown to be less effective in tabun poisoning. In contrast to HI 6, first in vitro studies with HLö 7 demonstrated a reasonable reactivating potency at acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibited by soman and tabun. Therefore, the therapeutic efficacy of HLö 7, HI 6 and obidoxime (with and without atropine) was compared in tabun poisoned guinea-pigs. In addition, the therapeutic effect of atropine in guinea-pigs poisoned by various doses of tabun was investigated. Female Pirbright-white guinea-pigs were anaesthetized with urethane (1.8 g/kg) and the carotid artery, jugular vein and trachea were cannulated. After baseline measurements the animals received tabun, 60, 180 or 300 micrograms/kg, and 2 min later the antidotes (all i.v.): obidoxine, HLö 7, or HI 6 (30 or 100 mumol/kg, each) or atropine 10 mg/kg or a combination of atropine and one of the oximes. Respiratory and circulatory parameters were recorded for 60 min or until the death of the animal. Erythrocyte, brain and diaphragm AChE activity was determined in every animal after the experiment. Poisoning by tabun resulted in a rapid deterioration of respiratory function and respiratory arrest within 5 min. Atropine treatment was very effective in improving the respiratory function after tabun 60 micrograms/kg but was ineffective after tabun 300 micrograms/kg. However, circulatory parameters were restored almost completely in all atropine therapy groups. Therapy of tabun 300 microns/kg poisoned animals with atropine plus oxime (30 micromol/kg) improved respiration to a variable extent and restored circulation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Atropine; Blood Circulation; Cholinesterase Reactivators; Female; Guinea Pigs; Lethal Dose 50; Obidoxime Chloride; Organophosphate Poisoning; Organophosphates; Oximes; Pyridines; Pyridinium Compounds; Respiration

The toxicity and efficacy of two oximes, HLö-7 and pyrimidoxime, were evaluated in mice and compared to those obtained with HI-6. HLö-7 and pyrimidoxime produced 24 h LD50 values of 356 and 291 mg/kg (i.p.), respectively. In combination with atropine (17.4 mg/kg, i.p.), HLö-7 was a very efficient therapy against poisoning by 3 x LD50 dose of soman, sarin and GF and 2 x LD50 dose of tabun with ED50 values of 12.4, 0.31, 0.32 and 25.2 mg/kg, respectively. In contrast, pyrimidoxime was a relatively poor therapy which resulted in ED50 values of greater than 150, 5.88, 100 and 71 mg/kg against poisoning by soman, sarin, GF and tabun, respectively. HLö-7 produced significant (p less than 0.05) reactivation of phosphorylated acetylcholinesterase, in vivo, resulting in 47, 38, 27 and 10% reactivation of sarin, GF, soman and tabun inhibited mouse diaphragm acetylcholinesterase, respectively. HLö-7 also antagonized sarin-induced hypothermia in mice suggesting that it reactivated central acetylcholinesterase. The potential of HLö-7 as a replacement oxime for the treatment of nerve agent poisoning is discussed.

Topics: Animals; Antidotes; Cholinesterase Inhibitors; Cholinesterase Reactivators; Imidazoles; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Mice; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; Organophosphate Poisoning; Organophosphates; Oximes; Pyridines; Pyridinium Compounds; Sarin; Soman