Physostigmine effectiveness against

Philippens IHCHM, Busker RW, Wolthuis OL, Olivier B, Bruijnzeel PLB, Melchers BPC. Subchronic physostigmine pretreatment in guinea pigs effective against soman and without side effects. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 59(4) 1061-1067, 1998. 

Carbaryl (carbaril) is another reversible carbamoy-lating anticholinesterase that closely resembles physostigmine in its actions. It is widely used as a garden insecticide and, clinically, to kill head and body lice. Sensitive insects lack cholinesterase-rich erythrocytes and succumb to the accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic jimctions of their nervous system. Effective and safe use in humans is possible because we possess cholinesterase, and absorption of carbaryl is very limited after topical application. The anticholinesterase malathion is effective against scabies, head and crab lice. 

Alkaloids and Inhibitory Effects Against Enzymes Linked to Neurodegenerative Diseases (Physostigmine, Galanthamine, Huperzine, etc.)... 

Philippens IHCHM, Groen B, Vanwersch RAP. Direct effects of physostigmine as a pretreatment in guinea pigs side effects and efficacy against soman. Proc.TG004 meeting, Medicine Hat, Canada, 2003. 

Muggleton, N.G., Bowditch, A.P., Crofts, H.S., Scott, E.A.M., Pearce, P.C. (2003). Assessment of a combination of physostigmine and scopolamine as pretreatment against the behavioural effects of organophosphates in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Psychopharmacology 166 212-20. 

Wetherell, J., Hall, T., Passingham, S. (2002). Physostigmine and hyoscine improves protection against the lethal and incapacitating effects of nerve agent poisoning in the guinea-pig. 

Uric acid in very low concentrations, very strongly absorbs UV radiation and for this reason, has been used to protect various FD C colors against fading when they will be probably exposed to direct sunlight (112). Uric acid has been found to enhance the photostability of solutions of colchicine (70) and FD C Blue No. 2 (82,113). Sodium urate, the neutral salt of uric acid, has a photoprotective effect on solutions of metronidazole (68), doxorubicin hydrochloride (77), and physostigmine sulfate (108). In addition to its photon-absorbing property, uric acid has been reported to also possess antioxidant quality (114). 

Kim, Y.B., Cheon, K.C., Hur, G.H., Phi, T.S., and Yeon, G.B., Prophylactic effect of physostigmine and procyclidine against nerve-agent poisoning, Seventh International Symposium on Protection against CBWA. Stockholm, Sweden, 15-19 June 2001, Abstracts, p. 158,2001. 

The concept of using carbamates as pretreatment which protects against OP intoxication was first mooted in 1956 by Koster who demonstrated that cats pretreated with a small dose of eserine (physostigmine) survived poisoning by supralethal doses of diisopropylphosphorofluori-date (DFP) (Koster, 1956). Subsequently, Berry and Davies (1970) demonstrated the effectiveness of a combination of atropine and carbamate pretreatment against soman poisoning. At that time, it was not considered that pretreatments with substances such as atropine, with marked actions on the central nervous system, would be acceptable for human use. For this reason, effort was concentrated upon pretreatment with pyridostigmine, a quaternary carbamate, which would not be expected to cross the blood-brain barrier and affect the central nervous system. 

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