METABOLISM AND PHARMACOKINETICS OF A SUBSTITUTED BENZAMIDE SULPIRIDE IN ANIMALS: SPECIFIC LOCALIZATION AND NEURO-ENDOCRINOLOGICAL ASPECT

1 In the class of substituted benzamides, several products are known for their psychotropic properties, in particular sulpiride. (Dogmatil), which exhibits neuroleptic and thymoleptic properties. Sulpiride is used as a behavior regulator in psycho-pathology of senescence in depression and schizophrenia, in addition to having application to gastroenterology. Numerous publications and symposia have been devoted to the psychotropic properties of this drug. 2 This paper reviews the actual status concerning the metabolism of sulpiride in animals, e.g. the blood level after single and repeated administrations as a function of time, the dose, the pharmacological form, and the route of administration. Further data will be given on the distribution, localization, elimination and metabolic pathway. 3 In addition, because of the neuroendocrinological impact of sulpiride, as for other psychotropic drugs, we will give our results showing the specific localization of the hypophysis, those of an histological approach and an ultrastructural study, which indicate stimulation of prolactin and gonadotrope cells in sulpiride-treated rats. The proposition for the direct action of sulpiride in the hypophysis level as well as our original hypothesis that psychotropic activity of these drugs is due to the action of specific peptides, which are synthesized in the hypophysis under the effect of psychotropic drugs is discussed.