PHENYLBUTAZONE

Abstract

THIS REPORT evaluates the use of phenylbutazone (Butazolidin) for 800 patients with a variety of diseases. It covers a period of 30 months, from November 1950 to May 1953. During the first eight months phenylbutazone was used with equal parts of aminopyrine as a mixture known in the United States as Butapyrin and in Europe as Irgapyrin. Phenylbutazone was first synthesized by H. Stenzl in the laboratories of the J. R. Geigy Company, Basle, Switzerland. The chemistry and pharmacology of this pyrazole have been reported elsewhere.¹ Since numerous clinical reports have described the therapeutic benefits of Butapyrin in rheumatic diseases, it was felt desirable to evaluate the results of using phenylbutazone alone. At the request of the authors this compound was made available for clinical trials. After July 1951 phenylbutazone was used alone orally and intramuscularly. In previous communications¹ the therapeutic value and the toxicity of phenylbutazone and