Treatment of organophosphate exposure with ocinaplon

Abstract

A method of treating exposure to organophosphate agents and preventing morbidity due to such exposure through the administration of a pyrazolopyrimidine compound such as ocinaplon, zaleplon, indiplon, or divaplon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating exposure to an organophosphate compound, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a pyrazolopyrimidine compound having the following formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein:
 X is C or N; 
 R 1  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, cyano, and 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         R 2  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl (C 1 -C 3 ); 
         R 3  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         R 4  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl (C 1 -C 6 ), alkoxy (C 1 -C 6 ), 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         R 5  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ), alkenyl(C 2 -C 6 ); and 
         R 6  is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl(C 1 -C 6 ), 
         or a salt or ester thereof. 
       
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pyrazolopyrimidine compound is selected from the group consisting of ocinaplon, zaleplon, indiplon, and divaplon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein R 5  is methyl or ethyl. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein R 6  is methyl or ethyl. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient in combination with the compound of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered by an administrative route selected from the group consisting of intravenous, oral, topical, intraperitoneal, intravesical, transdermal, nasal, rectal, vaginal, intramuscular, intradermal, subcutaneous and intrathecal. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the compound of  claim 1  is administered to the subject following exposure of the subject to the organophosphate compound. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the compound is administered to the subject within one hour following exposure of the subject to the organophosphate compound. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the compound is administered to the subject within five minutes following exposure of the subject to the organophosphate compound. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the compound is administered to the subject within one minute following exposure of the subject to the organophosphate compound. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the therapeutically effective amount of the compound of  claim 1  is administered to the subject prior to exposure of the subject to the organophosphate compound.