The recent attacks with the nerve agent sarin in Syria reveal the necessity of effective countermeasures against highly toxic organophosphorus compounds. Multiple studies provide evidence that a rapid onset of antidotal therapy might be life-saving but current standard antidotal protocols comprising reactivators and competitive muscarinic antagonists show a limited efficacy for several nerve ag...

The inhibition of cholinesterase (ChE) and related enzymes, by organophosphorus compounds, is generally believed to occur by direct phosphorylation of some group at the active centre of the enzyme, together with the liberation of an acid anion (Wilson, 1951; Balls & Jansen, 1952; Hartley & Kilby, 1952; Aldridge, 1954; Kilby & Youatt, 1954). Inhibition by organophosphorus compounds is generally ...

Oximes (with or without atropine as an adjunct) have recently been used successfully in the treatment of humans poisoned by organophosphate anticholinesterases. The discovery of the nature of the biochemical lesion in organophosphate poisoning has permitted the design of drugs to repair specifically this particular lesion. This paper reviews historically the researches which led to the developm...

Background: The role and proper dose of pralidoxime in the treatment of Organophosphorus (OP) compounds poisoning is an unresolved issue .This study was designed to compare the regimen recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) with the commonly used standard regimen of pralidoxime. Methods: This was a randomized open labeled prospective study on OP poisoned patients admitted to JSS Hos...

We are evaluating a facilitative transport strategy to move oximes across the blood brain barrier (BBB) to reactivate inhibited brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE). We selected glucose (Glc) transporters (GLUT) for this purpose as these transporters are highly represented in the BBB. Glc conjugates have successfully moved drugs across the BBB and previous work has shown that Glc-oximes (sugar-oxi...

The study by Remeijer et al. [1] conducted at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital in The Netherlands and reported in this issue of the Journal significantly enhances our knowledge of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) DNA in human corneas and provides important clinical information about the consequences of HSV-1 DNA in the cornea. Patient medical records were reviewed for relevant clinical information...