Treatment for Sulphur Mustard Poisoning -A Review

Sulphur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent of historical and current interest It is a wellknown blistering agent or vesicant SM was extensively used in world war I as a chemical weaponand has been stockpiled by several counbies since that time. SM serves as an ideal war gas and is favoured militarily for its ability to incapacitate rather than to kill. Its use resulted in large numbers ofcasualties requiring prolonged and intensive medical care. Despite Geneva Protocol of 1925, which categorically bnned the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons in wars, SM has beenused in several wars, including the Iran-Irnq war during the 1980s, which renewed interest in it.Though, the chemical we'dpons convention was signed by more than 160 counbies in 1993 and wassubsequently ratified by several counbies, the threat from this agent persists due to its clandestineusage during war and also by teITOrist groups. There is no effective and specific antidote for local andsystemic toxicity of SM despite scientific research for more than 75 years. Many compounds weretested as antidotes for SM, but very few of them have been shown to provide some protection. The present review is aimed at evaluating the treatment regime and other clinical measures used to treat  SM victims and the various drugs and chemicals screened as antidotes for SM poisoning in experimental animals

Therapeutic Efficacy of Saline and Glucose Saline against Dermally applied Sulphur Mustard Intoxication in Mice

A single dose of saline or glucose-saline (5 mg glucose/kg) offered similar protection to mice against sulphur mustard intoxication, the extent of survival being 83 per cent as against 33 per cent without treatment. All the animals were protected when the treatment was extended by another two consecutive days in the glucose-saline treated group. Both saline and glucose-saline treatments could ameliorate the haemoconcentration as well as normalise pO/sub 2/ and % oxygen saturation. The protection conferred is attributed to the probable replenishment of fluid loss

Chemistry and Toxicology of Sulphur Mustard- A Review

Bis (2-chloroethyl) sulphide commonly known as sulphur mustard (SM) is highly reactive bifunctional compound, documented as antimitotic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, teratogenic and cytotoxic agent. It is a powerful vesicant and has been employed as a chemical warfare agent. Skin, eyes and respiratory tract are the principal target organs and the deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) is the most important molecular target of SM toxicity. There is no specific antidote for SM injury .Treatment to SM toxicity is symptomatic

Effect of Ricin on Some Biochemical, Haematological, and Histopathological Variables in Mice

Acute toxicity studies of ricin were carried out in Swiss albino male mice. The median lethal concentration (LD,,) values were determined for mice through intraperitoneal and oral routes and were found to be 1.01 ~ g l k gan d 28.29 mglkg, respectively. The ricin (1.0 LD,d was administered in mice through intraperitoneal route and various toxicity-related clinical var~ableswere studied on the I", 3'd, and the 7" day of post-exposure. The prominent symptoms before death, were diarrhoea with black sticky vent and piloerection. The body weight decreasedsignificantly in a dose-dependent manner. No significant change was observed in organ-to-body weight ratio on the 1". 3d, and the 7th day of post-exposure except kidney weight. On the 71h day, kidney weight increased significantty. The levels of bloodurea, uric acid, and glucose increased, while total protein level decreased. However, activities of transaminase and phosphatases were not altered. Leukocytosis was also observed. The ricin also affected blood coagulation parameters. There was a significant increase in the clotting time. However, prothrombin time, bleeding time, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were not altered. Histopathological studies showed degenerative changes in various visceral organs, viz, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, and testis. Acute toxicity studies of ricin revealed that it is a highly toxic toxin. The ricin intoxication caused alterations in biochemical, haematological variables, and degenerative changes in various visceral organs

Influence of methylamine and N,N'-dimethylurea, the hydrolysis products of methyl isocyanate, on its systemic toxicity

Subcutaneous administration of the LD50 dose of methyl isocyanate (MIC) to rats induced severe hyperglycaemia, lactic acidosis and uraemia in rats. Neither methylamine (MA) nor N,N′-dimethylurea (DMU), the hydrolysis products of MIC, administered in equimolar doses had any influence on these parameters except for a marginal transient increase in plasma urea by DMU. Methyl isocyanate administration led to haemoconcentration, resulting in an increase in the plasma concentration of total proteins and a decrease in both the plasma concentration of albumin and the plasma cholinesterase activity. The hydrolysis products of MIC had no influence on any of these parameters. Thus, it seems reasonable to suggest that the systemic effects of MIC are caused by MIC per se, in spite of its high hydrolytic instability

Do the Hydrolysis Products, Methylamine and N,N'-Dimethylurea, Play any Role in the Methyl Isocyanate-Induced Haematological and Biochemical Changes in Rabbits?

The subcutaneous administration of methyl isocyanate (MIC) to female rabbits, resulted in significant increases in haemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte volume fraction and leucocyte number in blood, as well as plasma total proteins, and urea. The present study was designed to investigate whether the hydrolytic products of MIC, methylamine (MA) and N,N'-dimethylurea (DMU) play any role in eliciting these changes. Both MA and DMU administered subcutaneously in an equimolar dose to that of 1.0 LD50 MIC, 2.2 mmol kg-1, had no influence on these parameters, although there was a marginal increase in the plasma urea level shortly after the administration of DMU. This study establishes that the observed haematological and biochemical changes induced by MIC intoxication in rabbits are mostly due to MIC

Effect of Topically Applied Sulphur Mustard on Haematological Biochemical and Histological Parameters in Mice

Sulphur mustard (SM) a potent blistering agent, has been frequently used as a chemical weapon. In the present study the effect of topically applied SM on haematological biochemical and histological parameters in mice were investigated over a period of seven days. The application of SM resulted in significant increase of blood haemoglobin concentration packed cell volume and erythrocyte count as well as plasma urea uric acid and cholesterol levels. There was a significant decrease in blood leukocyte count Plasma total protein and albumin. There was significant increase in bleeding clotting and prothrombin time. Elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase lactate dehydrogenase aspartate and alaine aminotransaminases and creatine phosophokinase activities were also observed revealing SM-induced liver damage and general state of illness. Histopathological observations revealed a mild to moderate degree of congestion and haemorrhage in the viscera examined. Also there were mild degeneration and ovliteration of chromatin material in liver and Kidneys