New psychotropic drug developments in German speaking countries.

Since the rediscovery of lithium salts as a prophylactic against depression and the introduction of long-term neuroleptic drugs, Europe has experienced a stagnation in the development of new psychotropic drugs of new structure and influence radius. In the past two years, only one new antidepressant, three neuroleptic drugs and three tranquilizers with a particular activity spectrum and range of indication have been developed. The antidepressant maprotilin (Ludiomil) of the substance group of dibenzo-bicyclo-octadiene shows-contrary to the previously used antidepressants-an incentive-increasing and mood-elevating but also an anxiolytic effect, nearly no influence on the circulation, insignificant side effects and a prompt onset of effect after administration. Therefore, it may also be administered for people suffering from heart disease and old age. Its main ranges of indication are for anxious and retarded endogenous as well as involutional depressive states. In the field of neuroleptics, the trend goes to development of long-term neuroleptics and also to neuroleptic drugs with prompt efficacy. Concerning tranquilizers, one is searching for anxiolytic drugs with slight sedative effects. The chemical structure related to influence radii, the ranges of indication and the side effects of these recently developed drugs are presented.