Bicyclic phosphate is a class of organophosphate compounds that are used as

flame retardant The term flame retardants subsumes a diverse group of chemicals that are added to manufactured materials, such as plastics and textiles, and surface finishes and coatings. Flame retardants are activated by the presence of an ignition source and ...

s, stabilizers and antioxidants. They are also used in spectroscopic studies. Some bicyclic phosphates, such as TBPS, TBPO and

IPTBO IPTBO (isopropylbicyclophosphate, also IPPO) is a bicyclic phosphate convulsant. It is an extremely potent GABA receptor antagonist that can cause violent convulsions in mice. IPTBO is found among a group of highly toxic bicyclic phosphates. Ge ...

, are highly toxic. They have toxicity comparable to

nerve agent Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an enzyme that ...

s. However, they are not

acetylcholinesterase inhibitor Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) also often called cholinesterase inhibitors, inhibit the enzyme acetylcholinesterase from breaking down the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetate, thereby increasing both the level and ...

s. They act as GABA receptor antagonists and have potent

convulsant A convulsant is a drug which induces convulsions and/or epileptic seizures, the opposite of an anticonvulsant. These drugs generally act as stimulants at low doses, but are not used for this purpose due to the risk of convulsions and consequent e ...

effects.

References

Convulsants Neurotoxins GABAA receptor negative allosteric modulators Organophosphates Phosphate esters {{Neurotoxin-stub

See also

References