Treating organophosphates poisoning: management challenges and potential solutions

Abstract

Organophosphorus agents (OP) are widely used as pesticides due to their cost effectiveness, yet they present a significant public health risk owing to their high toxicity, especially in cases of occupational exposure in agriculture, during suicide attempts using pesticides, and as nerve agents in warfare. Their vigorous permeability through inhalation, ingestion, and dermal exposure results in a high number of reported OP poisoning cases and alarming mortality rates. Initial first-aid management involves decontamination, ventilation, and hemodialysis. Additionally, current treatment guidelines recommend prompt administration of atropine as a first-line antidote, oximes as a follow-up, benzodiazepines for seizure control, and pyridostigmine for prophylaxis. Nevertheless, current treatment options are associated with several challenges. Thus, recent research has focused on investigating novel approaches for their potential in improving current management strategies. This article intends to review recent advances in OP poisoning treatment, including agents investigated for their use as an alternative or adjunctive therapy, novel formulations such as nasal drops or sublingual tablets for emergency administration of atropine, as well as innovative strategies for enhanced oximes delivery and overall efficacy. However, two major barriers may limit these innovations, ethical issues associated with their clinical assessment in emergencies, and limited profitability in countries where most cases occur.

Keywords: Atropine sulfate; nerve agent; organophosphates; pesticides; poisoning; sarin; soman; tabun.