Comparative efficacy of tofisopam and placebo.

Tofisopam is a new agent marketed in Europe as a minor tranquilizer. The authors conducted a 4-week double-blind trial of this drug compared with placebo in 57 outpatients with anxiety and depression. They found that according to physician ratings and patient self-ratings tofisopam was an effective anxiolytic agent for subjects with anxiety and depression. Twenty-one percent of the patients receiving tofisopam and 10% of those receiving placebo reported side effects. The drug was especially effective in the treatment of somatic difficulties.