AN EXAMINATION OF PHENOTHIAZINE DERIVATIVES WITH COMPARISONS OF THEIR EFFECTS ON THE ALERTING REACTION, CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY

Abstract

A series of phenothiazine derivatives was examined to determine the effect on the reticular formation. Three derivatives which failed to block the alerting reaction to pain were inferior to chlorpromazine in the management of disturbed psychotic patients. It is therefore suggested that failure to depress the alerting reaction may be used as a screening procedure of new phenothiazine derivatives. But the converse does not hold, and their ability to inhibit alerting is not an adequate sign of therapeutic efficacy. In general, phenothiazine derivatives with 3 carbons in a straight chain are more effective tranquilizers than others with a greater or lesser number of carbons.