Psychotoxic Effects of Benzhexol Hydrochloride (Artane)

Abstract

Benzhexol hydrochloride (Artane, Pipanol, Trihexyphenidyl) was the first of a range of synthetic antispasmodic drugs to be made available for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinsonism. Selected as the most potent of a series of substituted piperidyl propanols examined pharmacologically by Cunningham et al. (1949), it was shown to have half the activity of atropine sulphate in inhibiting neurogenic spasm in isolated rabbit intestine. This activity was associated with advantageously reduced mydriatic, anti-sialogogic and vagal inhibitory properties in laboratory animals.