Flutroline in the treatment of the schizophrenic patient

As an introduction into a clinical study of one of a new group of compounds having neuroleptic potential, the background and characteristics of the gamma carbolines, particularly flutroline, are cited in the general context of a review of the use of antipsychotic drugs in psychiatry. In the four-week double-blind trial involving dosages of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 100 mg, 48 hospitalized schizophrenic patients were given the tryptoline derivative flutroline on a once-a-day basis. Outcome criteria obtained weekly, including the incidence of side effects, standardized psychiatric ratings, and clinical global impressions of psychopathology, indicated that flutroline was a safe and effective antipsychotic drug. Data suggested that dosages of 20 mg and above offered the best potential for optimal clinical effectiveness.