Studies on the mechanism of the protective and antidotal actions of diazepam in organophosphate poisoning.

The effect of diazepam on soman-induced bradycardia and respiratory depression in rabbits has been investigated. Diazepam prevents the bradycardia produced by soman in conscious rabbits. Although atropine will reverse the respiratory depression produced by soman in anesthetized rabbits, diazepam enhances the depression and renders rabbits less susceptible to this action of atropine.