Jackson A. Smith

The effect of tranquilizing agents and related compounds on the succinoxidase system.

Abstract The effect of 13 tranquilizing agents or their pharmacologically inactive analogs on the succinoxidase system was determined. The phenothiazine group of drugs inhibited the succinoxidase system most strongly and was followed closely in this property by reserpine, the derivatives of phenyl carbinol being the least active. Quiactin was relatively inactive. In all cases, cytochrome oxidase was more sensitive and succinic dehydrogenase less sensitive to inhibition than the complete succinoxidase system. Brain succinoxidase was less sensitive to inhibition than liver succinoxidase. It is concluded that inhibition of succinoxidase is not related to the mechanism of action of the tranquilizers.

EVALUATION OF A CHOLESTEROL-SYNTHESIS INHIBITOR (TRIPARANOL)

Excerpt The role of cholesterol in the etiology and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is not clearly understood; nevertheless, an association between hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis most pro...

Tranquilizers and Energizers—or Neither?

The tranquilizers are valuable adjuncts to psychotherapy but if prescribed indiscriminately they can obscure and encourage the fixation of a sick pattern of thinking and feeling. The antidepressants affect target symptoms of depression and do not alter the underlying process. Experience with these drugs is presented.

Hazards of drug evaluation: trials of 84 non-approved drugs.

1. If sufficient medical care is provided, compounds on which adequate animal toxicity studies have been done, do not appear to involve hazards in clinical trials. This conclusion is based on 93 drugs evaluated over a 4-year period in 1,704 patients; 84 of these drugs had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. 2. Other factors which tend to delay drug evaluation efforts include: the isolation of the chronically mentally ill from medical research centers, the lack of status associated with this type of research, the peculiarities of psychiatric practice and the source of the new compounds available for evaluation.