HI6 as an antidote to soman poisoning in rhesus monkey respiratory muscles in-vitro.

This study was carried out to evaluate the rhesus monkey as a model for man with respect to oxime-induced acetylcholinesterase reactivation as a mechanism contributing to restoration of soman poisoned neuromuscular function. In-vitro neuromuscular blockade in intercostal and diaphragm muscle strips of rhesus monkeys was induced by exposing them for 2.5 or 15 min to the cholinesterase inhibitor soman. Subsequent treatment with the oxime HI6 produced only a partial reversal of this blockade. Only a minor part of the recovery obtained could be attributed to enzyme reactivation and suggested that this species responded in a manner closer to that reported in man than other animal species studied.