New Nerve Gas Antidotes

SoyChemist writes "Scientists from Korea and the Czech Republic have discovered new drugs that can counteract the chemical overload caused by nerve gas. All of the experimental medications belong to a family of chemicals called oximes. Those molecules reactivate the enzyme that is damaged by the chemical weapons. Last year, the FDA approved the first combined atropine and oxime auto-injector for use by emergency personnel. Israel has been providing them to their citizens since the first Gulf War."

Comments

Combined, yes. But not new.

[lecithin]

"Last year, the FDA approved the first combined atropine and oxime auto-injector for use by emergency personnel."

I don't know the history, but in 1987(and certainly earlier) the US military had this for the 'troops'. It was in 2 injectors, not one.

atropine and 2 pam chloride (a oxime)

Re:Combined, yes. But not new.

[Novae D'Arx]

Like you said - Pralidoxime and Atropine injectors are extremely old-school for the US military. Although I'm happy that there are new drugs for treating nerve gas poisoning, TFA makes it sound like the "new" drugs are still completely untested - only on petri dish models, if I read it correctly. So, while there is promise, there are no human or animal efficiency results yet, no toxicity tests - all kinds of things are needed to prove that these new molecules are appropriate to replace the old ones.

That's the thing about new drugs - they look wonderful and promising for a while in the lab, then you stick them in a monkey and his testicles melt or his hair falls out. Oops - back to the drawing board.

Anyway, I'm skeptical but hopeful. I've had biochem weapons training in the Army, and nerve gases are effing nasty. More power to providing more survivability...

Re:Combined, yes. But not new.

[dirtsurfer]

Hey man, you want a hit of this? This stuff'll melt the testicles off a monkey

Re:Excuse to piss in public

[bagsc]

Piss won't help with any nerve agent. That tactic was partly effective against chlorine gas, which is soluble in water, so any water soaked rag will partly protect you. I say 'partly,' because even if your lungs and mucous membranes in the mouth and nose were protected in low concentrations of the gas, your eyes and skin are not. If it's a high concentration, you can see and smell it coming, so you get a chance to run. Of course, if you're stuck in a high concentration of chlorine gas, you're pretty much boned.

Oh, and the ammonia neutralizing chlorine is also not true.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_gas_in_World_War_I