Which medication is used to treat organophosphate toxicity?

Atropine with pralidoxime is the correct medication for treating organophosphate toxicity. Organophosphates are chemicals commonly found in pesticides that inhibit acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme critical for the breakdown of acetylcholine in the synapses. This inhibition leads to an accumulation of acetylcholine, resulting in a state of cholinergic crisis characterized by symptoms such as salivation, lacrimation, urination, diarrhea, gastrointestinal distress, and muscle fasciculations.

Atropine, an anticholinergic agent, works by blocking the effects of excess acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors, effectively alleviating the muscarinic symptoms of organophosphate poisoning. By reducing secretions and mitigating bronchoconstriction, atropine helps to stabilize the patient and improve respiratory function.

Pralidoxime serves a different but complementary role; it reactivates acetylcholinesterase by displacing the organophosphate from the enzyme. This reactivation is crucial for restoring normal cholinergic transmission and is most effective when administered early, as it may not be able to regenerate the enzyme if too much time has passed since exposure.

In contrast, activated charcoal can be used to reduce the absorption of the poison if given soon