Phenothiazine antipsychotics are a type of antipsychotic. Antipsychotics are medicines that are used to reduce hallucinations and delusions associated with psychosis. Phenothiazine antipsychotics are thought to work by blocking the action of dopamine in the brain; however, their exact mechanism of action is unknown.
Phenothiazine antipsychotics are classed as typical antipsychotics. Typical antipsychotics (also called first-generation antipsychotics) are commonly associated with extrapyramidal side effects (these are drug-induced movement disorders and include dystonia, Parkinson's-like symptoms, restlessness, rigidity, tardive dyskinesia, tremor, and other unwanted movements) and tend to be less effective than atypical antipsychotics at helping symptoms such as lack of motivation and social withdrawal.
Phenothiazine antipsychotics may be used in the treatment of psychotic symptoms associated with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Some phenothiazines (such as prochlorperazine and chlorpromazine) are also effective at relieving other symptoms unrelated to psychosis, such as nausea, vomiting, prolonged hiccups, tetanus symptoms and hyper-excitable behavior in children.
