Poisoning with organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) represents an ongoing threat to civilians and rescue personal. We have previously shown that oximes, when administered prophylactically before exposure to the OPC paraoxon, are able to protect from its toxic effects. In the present study, we have assessed to what degree experimental (K-27; K-48; K-53; K-74; K-75) or established oximes (pralidoxime, obidoxime), when given as pretreatment at an equitoxic dosage of 25% of LD01, are able to reduce mortality induced by the OPC azinphos-methyl. Their efficacy was compared with that of pyridostigmine, the only FDA-approved substance for such prophylaxis. Efficacy was quantified in rats by Cox analysis, calculating the relative risk of death (RR), with RR=1 for the reference group given only azinphos-methyl, but no prophylaxis. All tested compounds significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced azinphos-methyl-induced mortality. In addition, the efficacy of all tested experimental and established oximes except K-53 was significantly superior to the FDA-approved compound pyridostigmine. Best protection was observed for the oximes K-48 (RR = 0.20), K-27 (RR = 0.23), and obidoxime (RR = 0.21), which were significantly more efficacious than pralidoxime and pyridostigmine. The second-best group of prophylactic compounds consisted of K-74 (RR = 0.26), K-75 (RR = 0.35) and pralidoxime (RR = 0.37), which were significantly more efficacious than pyridostigmine. Pretreatment with K-53 (RR = 0.37) and pyridostigmine (RR = 0.52) was the least efficacious. Our present data, together with previous results on other OPCs, indicate that the experimental oximes K-27 and K-48 are very promising pretreatment compounds. When penetration into the brain is undesirable, obidoxime is the most efficacious prophylactic agent already approved for clinical use.

• Keywords
• Cox analysis, acetylcholine, azinphos-methyl, carbamates, cholinesterase, obidoxime, organophosphate, pesticide, pralidoxime, prophylaxis, rat,
• MeSH
• Survival Analysis MeSH
• Azinphosmethyl chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors pharmacology   MeSH
• Inhibitory Concentration 50 MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Molecular Weight MeSH
• Organophosphorus Compounds chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Oximes pharmacology   MeSH
• Pesticides chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Rats, Wistar MeSH
• Proportional Hazards Models MeSH
• Risk MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Azinphosmethyl MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors MeSH
• Organophosphorus Compounds MeSH
• Oximes MeSH
• Pesticides MeSH

AIMS: Organophosphates (OPCs), useful agents as pesticides, also represent a serious health hazard. Standard therapy with atropine and established oxime-type enzyme reactivators is unsatisfactory. Experimental data indicate that superior therapeutic results can be obtained when reversible cholinesterase inhibitors are administered before OPC exposure. Comparing the protective efficacy of five such cholinesterase inhibitors (physostigmine, pyridostigmine, ranitidine, tacrine, or K-27), we observed best protection for the experimental oxime K-27. The present study was undertaken in order to determine if additional administration of K-27 immediately after OPC (paraoxon) exposure can improve the outcome. METHODS: Therapeutic efficacy was assessed in rats by determining the relative risk of death (RR) by Cox survival analysis over a period of 48 h. Animals that received only pretreatment and paraoxon were compared with those that had received pretreatment and paraoxon followed by K-27 immediately after paraoxon exposure. RESULTS: Best protection from paraoxon-induced mortality was observed after pretreatment with physostigmine (RR = 0.30) and K-27 (RR = 0.34). Both substances were significantly more efficacious than tacrine (RR = 0.67), ranitidine (RR = 0.72), and pyridostigmine (RR = 0.76), which were less efficacious but still significantly reduced the RR compared to the no-treatment group (paraoxon only). Additional administration of K-27 immediately after paraoxon exposure (posttreatment) did not further reduce mortality. Statistical analysis between pretreatment before paraoxon exposure alone and pretreatment plus K-27 posttreatment did not show any significant difference for any of the pretreatment regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Best outcome is achieved if physostigmine or K-27 are administered prophylactically before exposure to sublethal paraoxon dosages. Therapeutic outcome is not further improved by additional oxime therapy immediately thereafter.

• Keywords
• carbamates, cholinesterase, cox analysis, organophosphate, oximes, paraoxon, pretreatment, prophylaxis, rat,
• MeSH
• Survival Analysis MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors administration & dosage   toxicity   MeSH
• Physostigmine administration & dosage   chemistry   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Organophosphates toxicity   MeSH
• Oximes administration & dosage   chemistry   MeSH
• Paraoxon chemistry   toxicity   MeSH
• Post-Exposure Prophylaxis MeSH
• Rats, Wistar MeSH
• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis MeSH
• Proportional Hazards Models MeSH
• Pyridostigmine Bromide administration & dosage   chemistry   MeSH
• Ranitidine chemistry   pharmacology   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators pharmacology   MeSH
• Tacrine administration & dosage   chemistry   MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors MeSH
• Physostigmine MeSH
• Organophosphates MeSH
• Oximes MeSH
• Paraoxon MeSH
• Pyridostigmine Bromide MeSH
• Ranitidine MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators MeSH
• Tacrine MeSH

INTRODUCTION: Organophosphorus nerve agents inhibit the enzyme, acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7). AChE reactivators (also known as oximes) are generally used for the reactivation of an inhibited enzyme. METHODS: Two new AChE reactivators--K033 and K027--were tested for their in vitro reactivation of sarin-inhibited pig-brain AChE. Their reactivation potencies were compared with the commercially available AChE reactivators, pralidoxime, obidoxime, and HI-6. RESULTS: Of the oximes tested, the newly developed oxime K027 achieved the highest reactivation potency (100%; concentration of the oxime -10(-2) M). However, oxime HI-6 (33%) and obidoxime (23%) seem to be the best AChE reactivators for human relevant doses (10(-4) M and lower). CONCLUSION: For human relevant doses, newly developed oximes (K027 and K033) do not surpass the reactivation potency of the most promising oxime, HI-6.

• MeSH
• Acetylcholinesterase metabolism   MeSH
• Antidotes pharmacology   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors toxicity   MeSH
• Brain drug effects   enzymology   MeSH
• Obidoxime Chloride pharmacology   MeSH
• Oximes pharmacology   MeSH
• Pralidoxime Compounds pharmacology   MeSH
• Swine MeSH
• Pyridinium Compounds pharmacology   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators pharmacology   MeSH
• Sarin toxicity   MeSH
• In Vitro Techniques MeSH
• Research Design MeSH
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 1-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)-3-(carbamoylpyridinium) propane dibromide MeSH Browser
• 1,4-bis(2-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)butane MeSH Browser
• Acetylcholinesterase MeSH
• Antidotes MeSH
• asoxime chloride MeSH Browser
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors MeSH
• Obidoxime Chloride MeSH
• Oximes MeSH
• pralidoxime MeSH Browser
• Pralidoxime Compounds MeSH
• Pyridinium Compounds MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators MeSH
• Sarin MeSH