VARIABILITY OF NEUROTOXICITY OF AND LACK OF TOLERANCE TO THE ANTICHOLINESTERASES SOMAN AND SARIN IN THE RAT

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 48  (3) , 415-430
Abstract
The neurotoxicity and lethality of Soman and Sarin, after single and repeated treatment at 50-60% of their LD50 doses in rats were investigated. Single treatment with Soman (100 .mu.g/kg) and Sarin (120 .mu.g/kg) produced severe tremors, convulsions and hypothermia in some rats, while the others did not show toxicity, i.e., an all or no effect. Soman and Sarin (100-120 .mu.g/kg) caused, respectively, 89-93% and 26-48% inhibition of AChE at 6 h and 56-68% and 17-39% inhibition at 24 h after single injections. Repeated treatment with Soman (90 .mu.g/kg) and Sarin (100 .mu.g/kg) at 4 day intervals caused variable incidences of neurotoxicity and increasing mortalities, and after 10 injections the survival rates were 31 and 54%, and AChE [acetylcholinesterase] inhibition was 86 and 75%, respectively. The variable neurotoxicity of and the low tolerance of these compounds are partly related to peripheral dispositional mechanisms. The profile of toxicity of these anticholinesterase agents should be differentiated from, but not generalized with, that of the other anticholinesterase organophosphates.