Plasma and saliva levels of chlorpromazine and subjective response.

Newly admitted schizophrenic patients (N=48) were given a test does of 2.2 mg/kg of chlorpromazine hydrochloride by mouth. Chlorpromazine was measured in plasma and saliva at 1, 2, 3 (saliva only), 4, 6, 8, 12 (saliva only), and 24 hours by gas chromatography-mass spectography. Subjective response at 4 and 24 hours after test dose was not significantly related to either plasma or saliva level even for dysphoric responders. Dyschoric responses to chlorpromazine appear to be idiosyncratic--rooted perhaps in altered recepter sensitivity or in a patient's very personal interpretation of drug effect.