Profiles of clinical efficacy and pharmacological action of zotepine.

Zotepine, a new neuroleptic drug synthesized in Japan has unique profiles in the treatment for schizophrenic patients, such as a low incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms and a biphasic effect; activation and sedation. It also shows unique pharmacological actions. The author discussed the relationship between its clinical efficacy and pharmacological actions. Recently zotepine has been reported to have an antimanic effect. The author also demonstrated our recent study on the antimanic drugs including zotepine and discussed the importance of the role of serotonin-2 receptor in their antimanic effect.