Penicillamine and Schizophrenia—A Clinical Trial

Abstract

One specific hypothesis concerning the biochemical lesion in schizophrenia was put forward by McIsaac (1961) on the basis of the close chemical relationship between the pineal hormone melatonin and the hallucinogenic drug harmine. On this basis Nicholson et al. (1966) conducted a clinical trial of D-penicillamine plus a low copper diet in schizophrenics, with encouraging results. They used 1,200 mg. daily in a double-blind trial against placebo for six weeks. Hollister et al. (1966) also treated schizophrenic patients with D-penicillamine, but for a different reason—they suggested that depolymerization might be effective if schizophrenia is an autoimmune disorder. They used doses of 1,000 mg. daily for five weeks following an initial build up, and noted no clinical amelioration in 13 schizophrenics studied. A normal diet was given. Walshe (1967) failed to find any improvement in 4 chronic patients on penicillamine for one year.