Pharmacological studies on perazine and its primary metabolites.

The study served to answer the question whether metabolites possibly contribute to the clinical actions of the neuroleptic drug perazine. The primary metabolites demethylperazine and perazine sulfoxide were investigated with regard to influences on behavior in mice, to an antiemetic action in dogs, and to a modification of the pressor effect of noradrenaline in rats. In contrast to perazine, none of the metabolites exhibited effects that can be interpreted to indicate neuroleptic or antidepressive properties of the compounds.