A comparison of the effects of oxypertine and trifluoperazine in withdrawn schizophrenics.
Twenty adult female schizophrenics were included in a double-blind, between-patient trial.

Patients received either 20 mg. trifluoperazine or 150 mg. oxypertine daily in capsule form. The dose could be altered to 10 or 30 mg. trifluoperazine (or 120 to 180 mg. oxypertine) at the doctor's discretion, still maintaining the double-blind discipline. The trial drugs were administered for six weeks, after a three-week period of placebo treatment.

Ratings were made throughout the trial period and for four subsequent weeks, using the Wing `A' and Venables rating scales. Laboratory tests, including S.G.O.T., S.P.G.T., alkaline phosphatase, P.C.V., E.S.R. haemoglobin, and total and differential white cell counts, were also carried out.

The results of this trial do not suggest that oxypertine is superior to trifluoperazine in activating withdrawn schizophrenics.

Significantly lower values for white cell count and haemoglobin were found in the oxypertine group.

Side-effects, which comprised mainly vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness and tremor, and were not clinically significant, were observed more frequently after administration of trifluoperazine than after oxypertine.