Effects of neuroleptic butyrophenones on pituitary-adrenal activity in rats

The effects of some neuroleptic butyrophenones such as haloperidol, clofuperol, trifluperidol, lenperone, moperone, and floropipamide on pituitary-adrenal activity were studied in rats following a single i.p. administration. All the drugs examined caused a marked increase in the plasma and adrenal corticosterone concentrations. The actions of haloperidol, clofluperol, and trifluperidol were shown to be most potent, while floropipamide was the weakest among them. The stimulatory effect of the drugs on adrenocortical activity was completely inhibited by either dexamethasone pretreatment or hypophysectomy and was shown not to be merely due to a consequence of a drug-induced hypothermia. These results indicate that the release of ACTH from the adenohypophysis is necessary for the drug action.