Organophosphate toxic agents

Organophosphate Ester Hydraulic Fluids. The biomarkers of effects after exposure to organophosphate ester hydraulic fluids are well established in cases of delayed neuropathy (clinical signs of peripheral neuropathy). Further study would be helpful to determine whether certain effects (such as diarrhea after oral exposure) are due to direct action of the toxic agent on the target organ or to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase at the acetylcholine nerve receptor site on the organ. 

Gupta, R.C., Dettbam, W-D. (1992). Potential of memantine, d-tubocurarine and atropine in preventing acute toxic myopathy induced by organophosphate nerve agents soman, sarin, tabun and VX. NeuroToxicology 13 500-14. 

Sawyer, T.W., Weiss, M.T., Boulet, C.A., Hansen, A.S. (1991h). Toxicity of organophosphate nerve agents and related phos-phonylated oximes compared to their anticholinesterase... 

Young, R.A., Opresko, D.M., Watson, A.P. (1999). Deriving toxicity values for organophosphate nerve agents a position paper in support of the procedures and rationale for deriving oral RfDs for chemical warfare nerve agents. Hum. Ecol. Risk Assess. 5 589-634. 

Maxwell, D. and Doctor, B.P. 1992. Enz3mies as pretreatment drugs for organophosphate toxicity. In, Chemical Warfare Agents, ed. S. Somani. New York Academic Press, pp. 195-207. 

One important consideration is the case of children dermally exposed to insect repellents snch as iV,iV-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEBT) which has resnlted in serious systemic toxicity and even death [154,177]. A similar issue is indicated by the studies of Loke et al. [165] as regards organophosphate nerve agents [165]. 

Organophosphates (nerve agents) require more sophistication but they too are not outside the reach of most countries, as Iraq demonstrated in the 1980s and 1990s. Terrorists probably would try to acquire the highly toxic nerve agents, which have the potential to create many casualties with great lethality and require much smaller quantities than mustard or Lewisite. 

Veliyaveettil, M., Alamneh, Y.A., Doctor, B.R, et al., 2012. Crossroads in the evaluation of paraoxonase 1 for protection against nerve agent and organophosphate toxicity. Toxicol. Lett. 210, 87-94. 

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