Excretion of vanilmandelic and homovanillic acids in man during oxypertine treatment
The urinary excretion of vanilmandelic (VMA) and homovanillic (HVA) acid was determined in 10 chronic male schizophrenic patients during eight weeks' oxypertine treatment, 120 mg daily. Attention was also paid to psychiatric symptoms and to possible side effects during the treatment. Before treatment the mean excretion of VMA was 6.0 mg/24 hours. During oxypertine treatment the excretion was reduced to 4.2 mg/ 24 hours after 28 days from beginning of the treatment. The difference is statistically significant. The mean excretion of HVA before treatment was 8.5 mg/24 hours. During the treatment the excretion did not change significantly. None of the patients deteriorated psychiatrically during the treatment. Six were observed to become more active and communicative. Two patients developed mild and two others moderate extrapyramidal symptoms which could be controlled by reducing the medication.