Thioridazine

Thioridazine is a prescription medication used for treating schizophrenia in adults and children who have not responded well to other treatments. Although the drug is not a cure for schizophrenia, it can help improve symptoms of the mental illness. Thioridazine tablets are available by prescription and are generally taken two or four times a day. Side effects of thioridazine may include blurred vision, constipation, and nausea.

 

What Is Thioridazine?

Part of a class of drugs known as "typical antipsychotics," thioridazine (Mellaril®) is a prescription medicine that has been licensed to treat schizophrenia in people who have not responded well to other antipsychotic medications.
 

Who Makes Thioridazine?

Thioridazine was originally manufactured by Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Although brand-name thioridazine is no longer being made, generic thioridazine is still available. Generic thioridazine is manufactured by several different companies.
 
(Click What Is Thioridazine Used For? for more information on thioridazine uses, including possible off-label uses.)
 

How Does Thioridazine Work?

Thioridazine belongs to a group of medications called typical (or first-generation) antipsychotic medications. In particular, it is part of a group of medications called phenothiazines. It is not entirely known exactly how thioridazine works. However, it is known that the drug blocks or lessens the effects of dopamine, a chemical in the brain. Dopamine may be elevated in people with schizophrenia.
 
Thioridazine is not a cure for schizophrenia. It only helps to control schizophrenia symptoms (see Symptoms of Schizophrenia).
 
(Thioridazine Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;