[Radioprotective agents in the decontamination of rats poisoned with percutaneously administered mustard gas]

The efficacy of rat skin decontamination by radioprotective agents AET and cystamine were tested. Results were compared to standard decontaminants-alcoholate, clay and fuller's earth. It was found that all the animals decontaminated with standard decontaminants had survived 4 LD50 of poison for 21 days. All the animals poisoned by 6 LD50 had survived for 1 day except for those decontaminated with alcoholate where 50% survived throughout the observation period. Alcoholate and clay protected all, and fuller's earth 70% of animals poisoned by 12 LD50, but no longer than 24 h. AET and cystamine protected all rats from 1.7 LD50 for 3 days, from 1 LD50 for 2 days, and from 2 LD50 for 1 day. When higher doses of poison were used (1.7-6.8 LD50) only partial protection was achieved. Our results support the conclusion that radioprotective agents could be convenient means for improvised decontamination of persons poisoned by sulfur mustard, so additional investigations are necessary.