Advances in research on oximes as antagonists of nerve agent

Nerve agents( NAs) belong to the class of organic phosphorus compounds which are acetylcholinesterase( AChE) inhibitors,including soman,sarin,tabun,VX,etc. NAs are extremely toxic and considered as the most dangerous chemical warfare agents. The current standard treatment for poisoning by nerve agents consists of the combined administration of anticholinergic drugs such as atropine sulphate,AChE reactivators such as pralidoxime,obidoxime and HI-6 and diazepam for anticonvulsant effects,but oximes are therapeutic antidotes against nerve agent intoxications which exert the therapeutic purposes primarily by reactivating the NAs-inhibited AChE. In this paper,the mechanism of nerve agents,the main working procedure of anti-NAs drugs,the chemical structure of classic reactivator,the corresponding antitoxic action,in vivo and in vitro effects and metabolic kinetics are reviewed.