title: Future applications of phosphotriesterases in the prophylaxis and treatment of organophosporus insecticide and nerve agent poisonings.
abstract: Organophosphorus compounds (OPs) are being used as insecticides and warfare agents. OP insecticides represent an important problem of public health, causing around 200,000 deaths annually. The World Health Organization has pointed to the necessity to introduce new medical practices that improve the results of classical treatments. Many studies have shown that the administration of phosphotriesterases (enzymes that detoxify OPs through hydrolysis) is a promising treatment of persons poisoned with OPs. Such an enzyme-based treatment might introduce important improvements in the treatment of patients having ingested large amounts of OPs. Phosphotriesterases might also be suitable for prophylactic treatment of persons at risk to be severely exposed. The new experimental treatments do not exhibit the intrinsic neurotoxicity of the classical prophylaxis based on carbamates and antimuscarinic drugs. Experimental data suggest that might be time to initiate clinical trials in order to study the efficacy of phosphotriesterases in the therapy and prophylaxis of OP intoxication.
authors.affiliation: División de Toxicología, Instituto de Bioingeniería, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avenida de la Universidad s/n, 03202 Elche, Spain. msorgorb@umh.es
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sogorb
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vilanova
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Carrera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000931:Antidotes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007306:Insecticides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000506:poisoning*; D062025:Organophosphate Poisoning; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D044345:Phosphoric Triester Hydrolases / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011041:Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D002619:Chemical Warfare Agents; D007306:Insecticides; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D044345:Phosphoric Triester Hydrolases