• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
SRI logo
  • About
    • Press room
    • Our history
  • Expertise
    • Advanced imaging systems
    • Artificial intelligence
    • Biomedical R&D services
    • Biomedical sciences
    • Computer vision
    • Cyber & formal methods
    • Education and learning
    • Innovation strategy and policy
    • National security
    • Ocean & space
    • Quantum
    • Robotics, sensors & devices
    • Speech & natural language
    • Video test & measurement
  • Ventures
  • NSIC
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • 日本支社
Search
Close
Biomedical sciences publications June 1, 2011

The Combination of Cobinamide and Sulfanegen Is Highly Effective in Mouse Models of Cyanide Poisoning

Summary

Context

Cyanide poisoning is a major contributor to death in smoke inhalation victims and
accidental exposure to cyanide occurs in a variety of industries. Moreover, cyanide has the
potential to be used by terrorists, particularly in a closed space such as an airport or train station.
Current therapies for cyanide poisoning must be given by intravenous administration, limiting
their use in treating mass casualties.

Objective

We are developing two new cyanide antidotes—cobinamide, a vitamin B12 analog,
and sulfanegen, a 3-mercaptopyruvate prodrug. Both drugs can be given by intramuscular
administration, and therefore could be used to treat a large number of people quickly. We now
asked if the two drugs would have an augmented effect when combined.

Materials and Methods

We used a non-lethal and two different lethal models of cyanide
poisoning in mice. The non-lethal model assesses neurologic recovery by quantitatively evaluating
the innate righting reflex time of a mouse. The two lethal models are a cyanide injection and a
cyanide inhalation model.

Results

We found that the two drugs are at least additive when used together in both the nonlethal and lethal models: at doses where all animals died with either drug alone, the combination
yielded 80 and 40% survival in the injection and inhalation models, respectively. Similarly, drug
doses that yielded 40% survival with either drug alone yielded 80 and 100% survival in the
injection and inhalatiion models, respectively. As part of the inhalation model, we developed a
new paradigm in which animals are exposed to cyanide gas, injected intramuscularly with
antidote, and then re-exposed to cyanide gas. This simulates cyanide exposure of a large number
of people in a closed space, because people would remain exposed to cyanide, even after receiving
an antidote.

Conclusion

The combination of cobinamide and sulfanegen shows great promise as a new
approach to treating cyanide poisoning.


Keywords: Inhalation exposure; intramuscular injection; lethal model; non-lethal model

↓ View online

Share this

How can we help?

Once you hit send…

We’ll match your inquiry to the person who can best help you.

Expect a response within 48 hours.

Career call to action image

Make your own mark.

Search jobs

Our work

Case studies

Publications

Timeline of innovation

Areas of expertise

Institute

Leadership

Press room

Media inquiries

Compliance

Careers

Job listings

Contact

SRI Ventures

Our locations

Headquarters

333 Ravenswood Ave
Menlo Park, CA 94025 USA

+1 (650) 859-2000

Subscribe to our newsletter


日本支社
SRI International
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • DMCA
  • Copyright © 2023 SRI International
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}