Assessing the Safety of Warfare Nerve Agent Antidotes Using Dual-Chamber Plethysmography

Despite international treaties, the use of chemical weapons remains a concern nowadays. Organophosphorus-nerve agents (OPs) act by inhibiting cholinesterases (ChE), preventing the degradation of some neurotransmitters. Their excessive accumulation can impair neuronal transmission, leading to cholinergic syndrome, which can cause symptoms such as respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.

Oximes are molecules that can reverse the effect of OPs. While they can be used as treatment, their high affinity for ChE can lead to toxicity at high doses, and the optimal therapeutic dose for many oximes has yet to be determined.