phenothiazine hydrochloride

Phenothiazine hydrochloride is the hydrochloride salt of phenothiazine, a tricyclic compound that served as the prototype for the phenothiazine class of antipsychotic drugs. Unlike its later derivatives such as chlorpromazine, the parent phenothiazine compound lacks significant neuroleptic activity and was primarily utilized in the mid-20th century as an anthelmintic and insecticide. Its mechanism of action in parasites involves the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase and interference with the mitochondrial respiratory chain, specifically targeting NADH dehydrogenase, which leads to neuromuscular paralysis and death of the helminths. In human medicine, it was briefly used as a urinary antiseptic and for the treatment of pinworm and threadworm infections, but its use was discontinued due to adverse effects such as hemolytic anemia and photosensitization. Today, it remains primarily of historical interest in human pharmacology and has been largely replaced by more effective and less toxic agents in veterinary practice.

Brand names

Phenovis

Other names

Thiodiphenylamine hydrochloridePTZ hydrochloride