Effectiveness of Oral Pyridostigmine Pretreatment and Cholinolytic-Oxime Therapy against Soman Intoxication in Nonhuman Primates

Effectiveness of Oral Pyridostigmine Pretreatment and Cholinolytic-OximeTherapy against Soman Intoxication in Nonhuman Primates, VONBREDOW, J. D., ADAMS, N. L., GROFF, W. A., AND VICK, J. A. (1991).Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 17, 761–770. Nonhuman primateswhich were fed Mestinon (pyridostigmine) syrup-impregnated foodbiscuits (40 mg per animal) exhibited a reproducible inhibitionof whole blood cholinesterase activity of 40 to 50% for a periodof 1 to 6 hr. Pyridostigmine pretreatment was supplemented bytherapy with two doses of an antidotal combination (A,TM,B)consisting of 0.05 mg/kg atropine, 2.24 mg/kg TMB-4, and 0.4mg/kg benactyzine which assured survival in five of six animalsfollowing three separate exposures to 10 LD50 soman. The protectiveperiod of this oral dose of pyridostigmine supported by A,TM,Btherapy was between and 8 hr. Oral pyridostigmine pretreatmentin combination with atropine therapy (three doses of 0.07 or1.00 mg/kg im) also saved monkeys exposed to 10 LD50 soman;however, the period of recovery was prolonged. Oral pyridostigminepretreatment did not alter the lethality of soman in the absenceof A,TM,B or atropine therapy.