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Tabun and sarin

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The designation “nerve gas” or “nerve agent” is used for organophosphorus compounds that inhibit tissue cholinesterase. It is an allusion to the mode of action of these substances, namely the disruption of nerve impulse transmission.

At the present time, two families of nerve gases are important for military purposes, namely the G agents, which are alkyl esters of methylphosphonofluoridic acid or of dialkylphosphoramidocyanidic acid, and the V agents, which are mainly alkyl esters of S‐dialkylaminoethyl methylphosphonothiolic acid.

G agents (e.g. sarin, tabun and soman) are primarily designed to act via inhalation, while V agents (eg. VX) act primarily through skin penetration and by inhalation of aerosol. Chemically and toxicologically, the nerve gases are similar to many of the commercial organophosphate pesticides and, while information on severe nerve gas poisoning in humans is rather limited, there are extensive data on human exposure to some of these pesticides.

Nerve agents are mostly odourless and colourless to yellow‐brown liquids at ambient temperature, and are solubl

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Tabun (nerve agent)

Chemical compound

Tabun (military designation GA) is an extremely toxic compound of the organophosphate family.[1][2] It is not present in nature. At room temperature, the pure compound is a clear and viscous liquid. However, impurities imparted during its manufacture are almost always present, turning it into a yellow or brown liquid. Exposed to environs, it slowly volatizes into the atmosphere,[3] with the vapor having a slight fruity or almond-like odor.[4] As the compound has a much higher molecular mass (162 g/mol) compared to air, Tabun gas tends to accumulate in low-lying areas.[4]

It is a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase, a key enzyme within the human body as well as in other animals.[5] Acetylcholinesterase is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter released into the synaptic cleft by motor neurons. The presence of acetylcholine within the cleft signals the post-synaptic (downstream) motor neuron to contract the neuron's associated muscle fibers, and vi

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Tabun (GA): Nerve Agent

Atropine and pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM Cl) are antidotes for nerve agent toxicity; however, 2-PAM Cl must be administered within minutes to a few hours (depending on the agent) following exposure to be effective. There is also generally no benefit in giving more than three injections of 2-PAM Cl. Atropine should be administered every 5 to 10 minutes until secretions begin to dry up. If the military Mark I kits containing autoinjectors are available, they provide the best way to administer the antidotes to healthy adults. One autoinjector automatically delivers 2 mg atropine and the other automatically delivers 600 mg 2-PAM Cl. If the Mark I kit is unavailable, or the patient/victim is not an otherwise healthy adult, administer antidotes as described below:
Infant (0 – 2 yrs), for mild to moderate physical findings, including localized sweating, muscular twitching (fasciculations), nausea, vomiting, weakness, and shortness of breath (dyspnea); administer Atropine at 0.05 mg/kg IM; 2-PAM Cl at 15 mg/kg IM.
Infant (0 – 2 yrs), for severe phy

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