Nerve agents pharmacology

Dahisch, P.A., Hulet, S.W., Kristovich, R., Mioduszewski, R.J. (2008a). Inhalation toxicology of nerve agents. In Chemical Warfare Agents Chemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics (J.A. Romano, Jr., B.J. Lukey, H. Salem, eds), pp. 233-46. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 

Scott, L. (2007). Pretreatment for nerve agent poisoning. In Chemical Warfare Agents Chemistry, Pharmacology,... 

Pharmacological Prophylaxis Against Nerve Agent Poisoning Experimental Studies and Practical Implications... 

Layish, I., Krivoy, A., Rotman, E., Finkelstein, A., Tashma, Z., Yehezkelli, Y. (2005). Pharmacologic prophylaxis against nerve agent poisoning. Isr. Med. Assoc. J. 1 182-7. 

The pharmacologic and toxicologic effects of the nerve agents are dependent on their stability, rates of absorption by the various routes of exposure, distribution, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, rate of reaction and selectivity with the enzyme at specific foci, and their behavior at the active site on the enzyme. 

The binding of the nerve agent to the enzyme is considered irreversible unless removed by therapy. The accumulation of acetylcholine in the peripheral nervous system and central nervous system (CNS) leads to depression of the respiratory center in the brain, followed by peripheral neuromuscular blockade causing respiratory depression and death. The pharmacologic and toxicologic effects of the nerve agents are dependent on their stability, rates of absorption by the various routes of exposure, distribution, ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, rate of reaction and selectivity with the enzyme at specific foci, and their behavior at the active site on the enzyme. 

McDonough, J. H. (2002/this issue). Performance impacts of nerve agents and their pharmacological countermeasures. Military Psychology, 14, 93-119. 

Performance Impacts of Nerve Agents and Their Pharmacological Countermeasures... 

Castro, C. A., Larsen, T., Finger, A. V., Solana, R., McMaster, S. B. (1991). Behavioral efficacy of diazepam against nerve agent exposure in rhesus monkeys. Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior, 41, 159-164. 

Raveh, L., Grunwald, J., Marcus, D., Papier, Y., Cohen, E., Ashani, Y. (1993). Human butyrylcholinesterase as a general prophylactic antidote for nerve agent toxicity. Biochemical Pharmacology, 45, 2465-2474. 

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