What monster invented dopamine-serotonin blockers?
Chlorpromazine (CPZ), a phenothiazine class drug, was synthesized in December 1951 by Paul Charpentier in the laboratories of the French pharmaceutical company Rhône-Poulenc, and became available on prescription in France in November 1952. Rhône-Poulenc and given the trade name Largactil (Largactil means “broad activity”). Chlorpromazine, known in North America as Thorazine, was (for all intensive purposes) the first antipsychotic. The discovery of chlorpromazine was somewhat accidental in the sense that chemists were trying to develop antihistamines (CPZ is also an antihistamine). Prior to CPZ promethazine was developed by the same company In 1947. Promethazine (brand name Phenergan) has similar actions compared to chlorpromazine however promethazine is primarily effective as an antihistamine and antiemetic, it has not really been used as an antipsychotic because of its weak actions. CPZ was also used in general anaesthesia, which is technically what is was first released for. It was
