Sciencemadness Discussion Board

atropine

joe69cool - 7-9-2006 at 14:33

I had a brief talk several months ago with a Marine (CBR specialist) who was telling me that while the soviet's in their day had several nerve agent treatments the USA only had atropine. I don't speak russian (yet) so I am wondering if any russian bees had any comments on this. I have several ideas as to what the soviets may have developed based on the atropine structure, though it may be irrevilent since the days of nerve gas are by and large gone. Just Curious.

Sandmeyer - 7-9-2006 at 15:16

Germans had these agents first. During WWII tabun and sarin were stockpiled by Germany while US/UK had no knowledge let alone the antidote against organophosphorus cholinesterase inhibitors, lucky for them Germans didn't put them in use. As far as Russia goes, they captured a production plant in East Germany and moved all those resources to Russia (including workers/chemists) to continue the production. Wonder if there were similar facilities for speed production, since it was produced in copious amounts during the WWII.

[Edited on 7-9-2006 by Sandmeyer]

Biginelli - 20-11-2006 at 23:56

Relatively easy to answer. Atropine was widely used during 1950s-1960s, however, this led to numerous drug abuse accidents, so in 1970s-80s atropine was replased by budaxime and aphine (or affine, exact ingredients are not known - kinda top secret; however, it includes phenamine and atropine...). Rarely tarene (a drug containing a bit of aprofene) was used.

Such an antidote is included as two small syringes in an individual medikit, which is a standard equipment piece of chemical defence forces.

Chris The Great - 28-11-2006 at 03:35

They also add some other stuff to help remove the organophosphate agent from the receptors and reactivate the enzymes, and sometimes diazepam to prevent seixures. I was under the impression atropine was still used in most injectors.

JohnWW - 28-11-2006 at 14:22

Atropine, an alkaloid found in belladonna with has a 7-carbon aliphatic ring bridged by a tertiary-amine N atom, is used as a muscle relaxant in small doses, e.g. as an anti- diarrhetic.

Glucose Oxidase - 3-1-2013 at 06:50

They used oximes to free acetylcholinesterase and get it back to work..

franklyn - 3-1-2013 at 10:53

www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=623#pid85623

and the rest of that thread.

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