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Breakthrough Against Organophosphate Nerve Agents
Tsafrir Mor, a biochemist in the Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology at the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University has shown that human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), a so-called bioscavenging molecule, can be produced synthetically—from plants. Further, Mor and his colleagues have demonstrated the effectiveness of plant-derived BChE in protecting against both pesticide and nerve agent organophosphate poisoning. The group's research, recently reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS), shows promise not only for protecting the nervous system from the effects of organophosphates, but also for gaining a firmer understanding of acetylcholine-linked diseases such as Alzheimer's Dementia and possibly for use against drug overdose and addiction, particularly cocaine. Following the collapse of the USSR, weaponized organophosphate poisons have proliferated, occasionally falling into the hands of rogue states or terrorist organizations, as these lethal nerve toxins are relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and store. Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-11-23 |
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