Protective effect of an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase on sulphur mustard toxicity in vitro

• Published in: Toxicology and applied pharmacology 1996-11, Vol.141 (1), p.138-144
• Main Authors: Sawyer, T.W., Lundy, P.M., Weiss, M.T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Arginine - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Death - drug effects; Cells, Cultured; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Chick Embryo; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Mustard Gas - toxicity; Neurons - drug effects; NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester - therapeutic use; Nitric Oxide Synthase - antagonists & inhibitors; Nitric Oxide Synthase - metabolism; Toxicology; Various organic compounds
• ISSN: 0041-008X; 1096-0333
• DOI: 10.1016/S0041-008X(96)80019-6

Although sulphur mustard is one of the oldest chemical warfareagents, its mechanism of toxic action is still not understood and as a consequence, no antidotes exist that are effective against this agent. Pretreatment of chick embryo neuron cultures with the well-known nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor l-nitroarginine methyl ester (l-NAME) was found to confer significant protection against sulphur mustard-induced cell death. However, these protective effects were not mediated through the inhibition of NOS. These findings may provide clues to the eventual understanding of sulphur mustard toxicity, and also suggest that l-NAME has significant novel pharmacological effects other than the inhibition of NOS.