BACKGROUND: Based on in vitro and in vivo rat experiments, the newly developed acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivator, K203, appears to be much more effective in the treatment of tabun poisonings than currently fielded oximes. METHODS: To determine if this reactivating efficacy would extend to humans, studies were conducted in vitro using human brain homogenate as the source of AChE. The efficacy of K203 was compared with commercially available oximes; pralidoxime, obidoxime and asoxime (HI-6). RESULTS: Reactivation studies showed that K203 was the most effective reactivator with a second order kinetic constant (kr) of 2142 min- 1. M- 1, which was 51 times higher than that obtained for obidoxime (kr = 42 min- 1. M- 1). Both pralidoxime and asoxime (HI-6) failed to significantly reactivate tabun-inhibited human AChE. DISCUSSION: According to these results and previous studies, using K203, it appears that oxime K203 is the most effective reactivator of tabun-inhibited cholinesterase in several species including humans and should be considered as a possible medical countermeasure to tabun exposure.

• Keywords
• Antidotes, Chemical warfare agents, Oxime, Poisoning, Reactivator, Treatment,
• MeSH
• Acetylcholinesterase metabolism   MeSH
• Antidotes metabolism   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors metabolism   MeSH
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Brain enzymology   MeSH
• Organophosphates metabolism   MeSH
• Oximes metabolism   MeSH
• Pyridinium Compounds metabolism   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators metabolism   MeSH
• Molecular Docking Simulation MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Check Tag
• Rats MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Animals MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• 1-(4-carbamoylpyridinium)-4-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)but-2-ene MeSH Browser
• Acetylcholinesterase MeSH
• Antidotes MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors MeSH
• Organophosphates MeSH
• Oximes MeSH
• Pyridinium Compounds MeSH
• Cholinesterase Reactivators MeSH
• tabun MeSH Browser