Effectiveness of a substituted β-cyclodextrin to prevent cyclosarin toxicity in vivo

•We investigated the efficacy of a substituted cyclodextrin against cyclosarin in vivo.•Prophylactic cyclodextrin prevented lethality and minimized signs of poisoning.•Brain but not erythrocyte AChE activity was preserved by cyclodextrin prophylaxis.

Standard treatment of poisoning by organophosphorus (OP) nerve agents with atropine and an oxime has a limited efficacy. An alternative approach is the development of stoichiometric or catalytic (bio-)scavengers which should be able to prevent systemic toxicity. Recently, a β-cyclodextrin derivative, 6-OxP-CD, bearing a pyridinium oximate in 6-position of one glucose unit was synthetized and shown to possess a promising detoxification potential against a variety of alkyl methylfluorophosphonates in vitro. In order to investigate the suitability of 6-OxP-CD as a small molecule scavenger an in vivo guinea pig model was established to determine the protective effect of 6-OxP-CD against the highly toxic nerve agent cyclosarin. Prophylactic i.v. injection of 6-OxP-CD (100 mg/kg) prevented systemic toxicity in cyclosarin (∼2LD50) poisoned guinea pigs, preserved brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity but did not protect erythrocyte AChE activity. A lower 6-OxP-CD dose (50 mg/kg) reduced systemic toxicity and prevented mortality in all animals. Thus, the results of this proof of concept study indicate that 6-OxP-CD may be considered as a potential small molecule scavenger to protect against the toxic effects of a range of highly toxic OP nerve agents.