Penfluridol: a neuroleptic drug designed for long duration of action

1. Penfluridol is a unique, long-acting, oral neuroleptic belonging to the diphenylbutylpiperidines. The synthesis of penfluridol represented the result of a well-planned scientific search for a highly lipophilic compound structurally related to haloperidol and pimozide. 2. Because of its unusual lipophilicity, penfluridol distributes extensively in fatty tissues following oral administration. This depot effect produces a very slow release of drug from the tissues, and results in a very long duration of activity. 3. Penfluridol is extensively metabolized by oxidative N-dealkylation to afford, as isolated metabolites, the beta-glucuronide conjugate of the diphenylbutyric acid derivative A1 and the unconjugated basic piperidine moiety B1. It is assumed, at this time, that the pharmacological activity is attributable to the parent compound. 4. When administered clinically at oral doses of 20 to 100 mg/week, penfluridol has been found to be an effective antipsychotic agent. This frequency of dosing is consistent with the pharmacokinetic behavior of the drug in man, and does not appear to result in any inappropriate accumulation of the drug in patients. Wide variations in steady-state levels and plasma elimination half-life have been observed in patient populations.