Phosphoramide Drugs In Ww1

It is somewhat ironic to discover that the pharmacophore of phosphoramide drugs currently used as antitumor agents was originally utilized for the purpose of chemical warfare, most prominently so in World War I. Sulfur mustard, the precursor to phosphoramide drugs, was employed to great effect as a wounding agent in the characteristic trench warfare of WWI; Being a dense gas, sulfur mustard settled in trenches and created persistent environmental hazards for troops. Exposure to sulfur mustard, while usually non-fatal, induced symptoms of blistering, respiratory illness, inflammation of the eyes, vomiting, and internal bleeding, consequently incapacitating exposed soldiers for weeks at a time.
In contrast with its terrifying application toward