Abstract

Background: One of the most toxic effects of organophosphorus poisoning (OP) is the paralysis of skeletal muscles. The oximes are a group of available antidotes. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of paraoxon on the function of skeletal muscle and reversal or prevention of these effects by three different oximes (i.e., pralidoxime, obidoxime, and HI-6). Methods: This study was conducted based on the chicken biventer cervices (CBC) nerve-muscle preparation and the use of twitch tension recording technique. The twitches of the CBC were evoked by stimulating the motor nerve at 0.1 Hz with pulses of 0.2 msec duration and a voltage greater than that required to produce the maximum response. Moreover, twitches and contractures were recorded isotonically using Grass Biosystems. Results: Paraoxon at 0.1 mu M induced a significant increase (more than 100) in the twitch amplitude, while higher concentrations (0.3 and 1 mu M) induced partial or total contracture. Therefore, paraoxon at a concentration of 0.1 mu M was used to examine the capability of oximes to prevent or reverse its effects. Pralidoxime, obidoxime, and HI-6 dose-dependently prevented (when it was used as pretreatment, 20 min before or at the same time of administration of the toxin) and reversed (when it was used as post-treatment, 20 min after the administration of the toxin) the effect of paraoxon. Conclusion: In conclusion, these results revealed that oximes were very useful in the prevention and reversal of the OP toxic effects on the skeletal muscle. Moreover, it was suggested that oximes were more effective when used as pre-treatment. Pralidoxime was more potent than obidoxime and HI-6. The HI-6, which is a newer oxime, was unexpectedly less effective than the other two.