CARDIOVASCULAR CONSEQUENCES OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS POISONING AND OF ANTIDOTES IN CONSCIOUS UNRESTRAINED RATS

The cardiovascular effects of two organophosphorus, paraoxon and soman, as well as of antidotes advocated in the treatment of these intoxications have been investigated using a computerized analysis of arterial blood pressure in conscious unrestrained rats. Intravenous administration of paraoxon as well as of soman produced a marked, sustained and dose‐related increase in blood pressure associated with a bradycardia. Pyridostigmine, a quaternary carbamate, neither altered blood pressure nor heart rate. Benzodiaxepines, such as diazepam or loprazolam, and atropine induced a dose‐dependent tachycardia while pralidoxime decreased heart rate. A complete therapeutic scheme including the intravenous administration of pyridostigmine 10 min. before a postpoisoning therapy made of pralidoxime, diazepam and atropine induced a transient tachycardia, which was followed, after a return to control values, by a second and more stable tachycardia concurrently to a slight hypertension. Postpoisoning therapy alone suppressed the pressor effect of soman within a few minutes after its administration. Afterwards, this therapy reduced the importance of the cardiovascular effects produced by soman. Pyridostigmine pretreatment decreased the protection afforded by postpoisoning therapy in soman‐intoxicated rats. These results show that postpoisoning therapy with pralidoxime, diazepam and atropine has a noteworthy efficacy against cardiovascular manifestations of soman intoxications in the rat. 1990 Nordic Pharmacological Society