title: Allopurinol augmentation for poorly responsive schizophrenia.
abstract: Adenosine has been proposed to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizoprenia and as a target for therapeutic intervention. In the lack of direct adenosine agonists, allopurinol may indirectly elevate adenosine levels by inhibiting degradation of purines. We report two cases of poorly responsive schizophrenic patients who improved considerably with add-on allopurinol 300 mg/day. Their clear clinical improvement warrant further investigation of allopurinol, as well as other purinergic strategies, for the treatment of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, ICBS, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil. drlara@plug-in.com.br
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Brunstein
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Ghisolfi
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Lobato
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Belmonte-de-Abreu
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Souza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000493:Allopurinol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D000493:Allopurinol