Caisberger_2016_Mil.Med.Sci.Lett_85_2

Purpose: The aim of our study was to determine and compare the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in different parts of dog brain after the exposure to nerve agent sarin with or without HI-6 oxime treatment. Material and methods: Before intoxication, beagle dogs were intravenously anaesthetized and premedicated with atropine sulphate (0.01 mg/kg). Three experimental groups were established - control, sarin (0.03 mg/kg, intramuscularly, 5 min after anaesthesia onset), and sarin + HI-6 dichloride (11.4 mg/kg, intramuscularly, 30 min after sarin poisoning). Brain (amygdaloid body, head of caudate nucleus, somatosensory cortex, Amon's horn of hippocampus, hypothalamus, brain stem ventral respiratory group, and medial nuclei of thalamus) samples were taken 4 h after sarin administration. AChE activity was detected by histochemistry using the Karnovsky-Roots method and computer image analysis. Results: Sarin poisoning decreased AChE activity in all selected brain areas. HI-6 did not affect this outcome. Conclusion: HI-6 does not reactivate brain AChE in dogs when administered 30 min after sarin poisoning.