"Novichok" refers to a new group of nerve agents called the A-series agents. Their existence came to light in 2018 after incidents in the UK and again in 2020 in Russia. They are unique organophosphorus-based compounds developed during the Cold War in a program called Foliant in the USSR. This review is based on original chemical entities from Mirzayanov's memoirs published in 2008. Due to classified research, a considerable debate arose about their structures, and hence, various structural moieties were speculated. For this reason, the scientific literature is highly incomplete and, in some cases, contradictory. This review critically assesses the information published to date on this class of compounds. The scope of this work is to summarize all the available and relevant information, including the physicochemical properties, chemical synthesis, mechanism of action, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and medical countermeasures used to date. The environmental stability of A-series agents, the lack of environmentally safe decontamination, their high toxicity, and the scarcity of information on post-contamination treatment pose a challenge for managing possible incidents.

Biomedical Research Center University Hospital Hradec Kralove Sokolska 581 500 05 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Faculty of Military Health Sciences University of Defence Trebesska 1575 500 01 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove Charles University Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203 500 05 Hradec Kralove Czech Republic

Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence Institute University of Defence Vita Nejedleho 1 682 03 Vyskov Czech Republic

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$a A-agents, misleadingly known as "Novichoks": a narrative review / $c J. Opravil, J. Pejchal, V. Finger, J. Korabecny, T. Rozsypal, M. Hrabinova, L. Muckova, V. Hepnarova, J. Konecny, O. Soukup, D. Jun

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$a "Novichok" refers to a new group of nerve agents called the A-series agents. Their existence came to light in 2018 after incidents in the UK and again in 2020 in Russia. They are unique organophosphorus-based compounds developed during the Cold War in a program called Foliant in the USSR. This review is based on original chemical entities from Mirzayanov's memoirs published in 2008. Due to classified research, a considerable debate arose about their structures, and hence, various structural moieties were speculated. For this reason, the scientific literature is highly incomplete and, in some cases, contradictory. This review critically assesses the information published to date on this class of compounds. The scope of this work is to summarize all the available and relevant information, including the physicochemical properties, chemical synthesis, mechanism of action, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and medical countermeasures used to date. The environmental stability of A-series agents, the lack of environmentally safe decontamination, their high toxicity, and the scarcity of information on post-contamination treatment pose a challenge for managing possible incidents.

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