American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 19, 307-312, Copyright © 1966 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

Antipyridoxine Effect of d-Penicillamine in Schizophrenic Men

¹ From the Veterans Administration Hospitals, Palo Alto, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah

d-penicillamine was administered to thirteen newly admitted schizophrenic patients as an experimental treatment. Daily doses of 1,000 mg. or more were given during the major portion of the treatment program. As evidenced by increased urinary excretion of xanthurenic and kynurenic acids following a tryptophan load, six of the thirteen patients showed a definite antipyridoxine effect from the drug during the fourth week of therapy. After six weeks of treatment serum macroglobulin levels were essentially unchanged. There were no consistent changes in serum copper oxidase activity and copper levels.

Eleven chronic schizophrenic patients were treated with d-penicillamine in doses of 750 or 1,500 mg. daily for a period of four weeks without added pyridoxine, and for three weeks after the addition of 100 mg. of pyridoxine per day. Each of these patients showed some indication of an antipyridoxine effect, usually within the first two weeks of treatment. Repletion with pyridoxine promptly reversed the pattern of urinary acid excretion to normal.

d-penicillamine exerts an antipyridoxine effect which is frequently demonstrable by biochemical tests early in the course of treatment with customary doses. These effects are rapidly and completely reversed by supplementation with pyridoxine. Such supplementation should be routine when d-penicillamine is used therapeutically for any purpose.