VG (nerve agent)

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VG (also called Amiton or Tetram) is a "V-series" nerve agent closely related to the better-known VX nerve agent. Tetram is the common Russian name for the substance. Amiton is the trade name for the substance when sold as a pesticide. It was brought to market in 1954 by ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries). This commercial application predates large scale military production of VX. (http://www.mitretek.org/home.nsf/Homelandsecurity/HistoryNerveGases)

Related Topics:
Nerve agent - VX nerve agent

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Due to severe toxicity and weapons proliferations issues, it is not in current use as a pesticide, although it is thought that North Korea may have military stockpiles. (http://www.nti.org/e_research/profiles/NK/Chemical/50_1068.html)

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Like most of the agents in the V-series (with the exception of VX), VG has not been extensively studied outside of military science. Little is known about this compound other than its chemical formula.

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It is commonly theorized that the so called "second-generation" V series agents came from a cold war era Russian chemical weapons development program. They may have been deveoped sometime between 1950 and 1990. They have similar lethal dose levels to VX (between 10-50 mg) and have similar symptoms and method of action to other nerve agents that act on cholinesterase, and treatment remains the same, but the window for effectively treating second generation V series seizures is shorter. In addition to the standard seizures, some of the second generation V series agents are known to cause coma.

Related Topics:
Cold war - Cholinesterase

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