Sulfur mustard medical countermeasures in a nuclear environment

The possibility of chemical warfare occurring on a nuclear battlefield exists, given the increased proliferation of both types of weapons in small nations during the last two decades. Antidotes to mustard "gas" have not yet been fielded because its mechanism of action is not fully understood. Researchers at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense have been addressing this dilemma and have developed six intervention strategies that may have efficacy for both chemical and nuclear weapons. These strategies include intracellular scavengers, DNA cell cycle modulators, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors, calcium modulators, anti-proteases, and anti-inflammatories. Because mustard and radiation may produce synergistic effects that could impair the efficacy of individual therapies, studies have been proposed to evaluate the combined effects of nuclear and chemical exposures. Once models for these studies have been established, the safety and efficacy of the intervention strategies can be evaluated.