Interspecies and intergender differences in acute toxicity of K-oximes drug candidates.

K-oximes were developed as modern drug candidates acting as AChE reactivators. In this study, it has been investigated which interspecies and intergender differences changes could be observed in Wistar rats and Swiss mice, both genders, after the treatment with increasing doses of selected acetylcholinesterase reactivators - asoxime, obidoxime, K027, K048, and K075. After the 24 h, a number of died animals was counted and the median lethal dose (LD50) for each oxime was calculated. By using the intramuscular route of administration, asoxime and K027 had the least toxicity in female rats (640.21 mg/kg and 686.08 mg/kg), and in female mice (565.75 mg/kg and 565.74 mg/kg), respectively. Moreover, asoxime and K027 showed 3, 4 or 8 times less acute toxicity in comparison to K048, obidoxime and K075, respectively. Beyond, K075 had the greatest toxicity in male rats (81.53 mg/kg), and in male mice (57.34 mg/kg), respectively. Our results can help to predict likely adverse toxic effects, target organ systems and possible outcome in the event of massive human overexposure, and in establishing risk categories or in dose selection for the initial repeated dose toxicity tests to be conducted for each oxime.

Toxicity and median effective doses of oxime therapies against percutaneous organophosphorus pesticide and nerve agent challenges in the Hartley guinea pig.

Anticholinesterases, such as organophosphorus pesticides and warfare nerve agents, present a significant health threat. Onset of symptoms after exposure can be rapid, requiring quick-acting, efficacious therapy to mitigate the effects. The goal of the current study was to identify the safest antidote with the highest therapeutic index (TI = oxime 24-hr LD50/oxime ED50) from a panel of four oximes deemed most efficacious in a previous study. The oximes tested were pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM Cl), MMB4 DMS, HLö-7 DMS, and obidoxime Cl2. The 24-hr median lethal dose (LD50) for the four by intramuscular (IM) injection and the median effective dose (ED50) were determined. In the ED50 study, male guinea pigs clipped of hair received 2x LD50 topical challenges of undiluted Russian VX (VR), VX, or phorate oxon (PHO) and, at the onset of cholinergic signs, IM therapy of atropine (0.4 mg/kg) and varying levels of oxime. Survival was assessed at 3 hr after onset clinical signs. The 3-hr 90th percentile dose (ED90) for each oxime was compared to the guinea pig pre-hospital human-equivalent dose of 2-PAM Cl, 149 µmol/kg. The TI was calculated for each OP/oxime combination. Against VR, MMB4 DMS had a higher TI than HLö-7 DMS, whereas 2-PAM Cl and obidoxime Cl2 were ineffective. Against VX, MMB4 DMS > HLö-7 DMS > 2-PAM Cl > obidoxime Cl2. Against PHO, all performed better than 2-PAM Cl. MMB4 DMS was the most effective oxime as it was the only oxime with ED90 < 149 µmol/kg against all three topical OPs tested.

Reactions of methylphosphonic difluoride with human acetylcholinesterase and oximes--Possible therapeutic implications.

Highly toxic organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents are well characterized regarding chemical, biological and toxicological properties and the effectiveness of standard atropine and oxime therapy. Open literature data on the key nerve agent precursor methylphosphonic difluoride (DF) are scarce. To fill this gap the reactions of DF and its main degradation product methylphosphonofluoridic acid (MF) with human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and the oximes obidoxime, HI-6 and 2-PAM were investigated in vitro. DF and MF were found to be weak inhibitors of human AChE being at least five orders less potent compared to the nerve agent sarin. Incubation of human AChE with millimolar DF and MF and subsequent addition of obidoxime and HI-6 resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease of AChE activity. This effect was not observed when incubating highly diluted AChE with oximes. The most likely explanation for this phenomenon is an inhibitory effect of phosphonyloximes formed by direct reaction of DF or MF with obidoxime and HI-6. These data indicate that high DF doses, resulting in millimolar blood and tissue DF/MF concentrations, are necessary to induce cholinergic signs and that under these conditions treatment with obidoxime and HI-6 may even worsen the poisoning.

Efficacy of eight experimental bispyridinium oximes against paraoxon-induced mortality: comparison with the conventional oximes pralidoxime and obidoxime.

Recently, several experimental K-oximes with two functional aldoxime groups have been synthesized that show excellent in vitro efficacy in protecting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from inhibition by a broad variety of organophosphorus compounds (OPCs). However, oximes themselves are also AChE inhibitors, albeit at higher concentrations, which is a major cause of their toxicity and may be a dose-limiting factor in oxime therapy. To assess the efficacy of the experimental K-oximes in vivo, the extent of oxime-conferred protection from mortality induced by paraoxon was quantified. Rats received paraoxon in a dosage of 1, 5, or 10 mumol, and immediately thereafter intraperitoneal injections of the respective oxime at a dosage of half the LD(01). The relative risk of death (RR) over time was estimated by Cox survival analysis for treatment with experimental K-oximes (K-53, K-74, K-75, K-107, K-108, and K-113), with the clinically available oximes pralidoxime (2-PAM) and obidoxime, and with the well-characterized K-oximes K-27 and K-48, comparing results with the no-treatment group. Best protection was conferred by K-27, reducing the RR to 20% of controls (P

An evaluation of reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of newly developed oximes (K206, K269) and commonly used oximes (obidoxime, HI-6) in cyclosarin-poisoned rats and mice.

INTRODUCTION: The ability of currently available reactivators to reactivate cyclosarin is low. The aim of this study was to determine the reactivating and therapeutic efficacy of newly developed oximes (K206, K269) compared with currently available oximes against cyclosarin. METHODS: Rats and mice received atropine or atropine + oxime intramuscularly (i.m.) before or after an i.m. dose of cyclosarin. Acetylcholine activity levels in blood and tissues were measured to calculate the reactivation efficacy and potency. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: In vivo determined percentage of reactivation of cyclosarin-inhibited blood and tissue acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in poisoned rats showed that the potency of both newly developed oximes (K206, K269) to reactivate cyclosarin-inhibited AChE is comparable with that of obidoxime in blood and diaphragm, but slightly higher than that of obidoxime in brain. Their reactivating efficacy is significantly lower compared with that of the oxime HI-6. K206 and K269 are relatively effective in reducing cyclosarin-induced lethal toxic effects in mice. Their therapeutic efficacies exceed the therapeutic potency of obidoxime but not that of HI-6. CONCLUSIONS: K206 and K269 are as effective in the reactivation of cyclosarin-inhibited AChE in rats and in the reduction of lethal toxic effects of cyclosarin in mice as obidoxime, but because their reactivating and therapeutic potency is significantly lower than that of HI-6, they are not suitable replacements for the currently available oximes for the treatment of cyclosarin poisoning.

The influence of acetylcholinesterase reactivators on selected hepatic functions in rats.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of acetylcholinesterase reactivators--K027 [1-(4-carbamoyl pyridinium)-3-(4-hydroxyiminomethyl pyridinium) propane dibromide], HI-6 [1-(4-carbamoylpyridinium)-3-(2-hydroxyimino methylpyridinium) oxapropane dichloride] and obidoxime [1,3-bis(4-hydroxyiminomethyl pyridinium)oxapropane dichloride] on hepatic functions in vivo. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided to seven groups and intramuscularly administered with saline and acetylcholinesterase reactivators (K027, HI-6 and obidoxime) at doses of 5% LD(50) and 50% LD(50). Liver tissue samples were taken 24 hr after administration. Histochemical detection of lipid droplets and immunohistochemical detection of multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2) were provided. Lipid droplet count in rat liver did not show any significant differences in animals administered with K027, HI-6 and obidoxime in comparison with the control group. Mrp2 protein expression significantly decreased when animals were administered with K027 at a dose of 50% LD(50) and HI-6 and obidoxime at doses of 5% LD(50) and 50% LD(50), when compared to the controls. No statistical differences of Mrp2 expression were measured when animals were administered with K027 at a dose of 5% LD(50) in comparison with control animals. We found impaired hepatic transporter function after administration of HI-6, obidoxime and higher concentration of K027, which might be the underlying mechanism of acetylcholinesterase reactivators' hepatotoxicity.

[Toxicity of oximes and their effect on acetylcholinesterase activity in the blood and myoneural synapses of animals]. / Vurkhu toksichnostta na niakoi oksimi i vliianieto im vurkhu aktivnostta na atsetilkholinesterazata v kruvta i mionevralnite sinapsi nazhivotnite.

The effect was followed up of 2-PAM and Toxogonin (T), reactivators of choline esterase, at a single muscular application on the activity of acetylcholine esterase (ES 3.1.1.7) (ACE) of whole blood (WB) and the myoneural synapses (MS) of an interrib muscle. It was found that a species-specific effect was produced by T and 2-PAM on ACE of WB and MS in lambs and sheep. Optimal doses of 50 and 80 mg/kg led to a slight drop in the activity of ACE at the 2nd hour following injection, after which it rose gradually up to values that were higher than the initial ones for more than ten days. 100 and 200 mg/kg led to a more sensitive and long-term drop in the activity of ACE (up to 48h--72nd hour), after which it likewise rose above the initial value, and came back to normal on the 13th day. With lambs the reaction was analogous, though weaker. In rats and rabbits there was no change in the activity of ACE of WB and MS following the use of oximes. The optimal nontoxic and inductoenzyme rates of the two oximes for lambs and sheep proved to be about 50 mg/kg. It was established that both for rats and for sheep and lambs T was almost twice as toxic as 2-PAM. Intoxication with T was characterized by severe hemorrhagic and necrotic nephroso-nephritis, acute toxic dystrophy of the liver, and ulcerous, necrotic enteritis. 2-PAM was found to potentiate the toxic effect of T.

[Toxicity and tolerance of toxogonin]. / K voprosu o toksichnosti i perenosimosti toksogonina

A comparative characteristic of acute toxicity of toxogonine and dipiroxime is given for different animal species with various routes of introduction of the compounds from which it follows that, as concerns the toxicity parameters and the area of toxic action, toxogonine is in the lead. It is also shown that with its multiple administration in a therapeutic dose toxogonine does not affect the peripheral blood, the hepatic and renal functions, the cardio-vascular system, this being also supported by the anatomo-pathological findings. With its intramuscular introduction toxogonine does not produce any local irritation.