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Red blood cell and plasma levels of thioridazine and mesoridazine in schizophrenic patients

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Abstract

Thioridazine and mesoridazine levels and levels of thioridazine plus metabolites were determined in plasma and red blood cells (RBC) by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) and spectrofluorometry (SP), respectively, in schizophrenic patients treated with fixed doses of thioridazine. There was wide interpatient variability in RBC:plasma ratios for thioridazine and mesoridazine, a higher ratio of thioridazine to mesoridazine in RBC than plasma, and a higher ratio of GLC total (thioridazine plus mesoridazine), to SP-determined total drug constituents in RBC than in plasma. RBC showed a monotonic increase in drug levels with dose, whereas levels of drug in the plasma began to level off above the 250 mg/day dose. Drug levels 24 h after the acute dose did not predict steady-state blood levels in plasma or RBC.

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Shvartsburd, A., Nwokeafor, V. & Smith, R.C. Red blood cell and plasma levels of thioridazine and mesoridazine in schizophrenic patients. Psychopharmacology 82, 55–61 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426381

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426381

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