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Neurobiology of Phencyclidine (Sernyl), A Drug With An Unusual Spectrum of Pharmacological Activity

1964; Elsevier BV; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/s0074-7742(08)60772-2

2162-5514

Edward F. Domino,

Chemical Reactions and Isotopes

This chapter reviews some of the available literature describing the unusual actions of phencyclidine. The chapter emphasizes on the pharmacology of phencyclidine. Phencyclidine is 1- (l-phencyclohexyl) piperidine hydrochloride. It is also known as Sernyl or CI-395. The effects of phencyclidine, like any other drug, are dose dependent. The pharmacological actions of phencyclidine appear to be complex. The effects depend upon the species and dose. Evidence is available that in subanesthetic doses the drug alters the reactivity of the central nervous system to various sensory inputs. The drug acts at spinal cord, brainstem, diencephalic, and cerebral cortical levels. Schizophrenic subjects appear to be quite sensitive to phencyclidine and become much worse, in contrast to their behavior after LSD-25 and mescaline. The metabolic effects of phencyclidine may be the result of uncoupling of oxidation from phosphorylation, similar to dinitrophenol, or result from a potentiation of the metabolic actions of catecholamines Phencyclidine possesses a pharmacological spectrum of activity uniquely different from other psychotomimetic or anesthetic drugs.