- In B.C. 4000, the roots of plant "serpentina mixed with oil was used in India to treat mentally ill.
- In 1853, bromide was used in treatment of mania and melancholia.
- 1882 paraldehyde used as a hypnotic.
- 1883 phenothiazines synthesized during synthesis of methiline blue.
- 1903 Barbiturates (barbital) used for sedation in and Phenobarbital was introduced in 1912.
- 1917 (Julius von Wagner Jauregg) used malarial treatment for General Paresis of Insane (GPI) and received Nobel Prize.
- 1922 (Jacob Klaesi) introduced barbiturate induced comma for treatment of psychosis.
- 1927 Manfred Sakel introduced insulin shock therapy in for schizophrenia
- 1931 (Ganesh Sen and Karthik Bose )reported successful treatment of psychosis using Rauwolfia Serpentina extract (reserpine).
- 1934 Laszio and Meduna in troduced metrozol-induced convulsions for treatment of psychosis.
- 1936 Egaz Moniz and Almenda Lima advocated frontal lobotomy for treatment of psychiatric disorders.
- 1937 C Bradley used amphetamine in behavioural disorders in children.
- In 1938 Ugo Cerletti and Lucio Bini introduced electroconvulsive therapy in the management of psychosis.
- 1940 Tracy Putnum used phenetoin as anticonvulant.
- 1943 Albert Hofman synthesised LSD
- 1949 John F. Cade used lithium in mania.
- 1950 Charpentier synthesised chlorpromazine while making better antihistaminic than promethazine.
- 1950 methyle phenindate used in the treatment of ADHD.
- 1951 Laborit used lytic cocktail in artificial hibernation.
- 1951 Isoniazid (INH) and isopiazid foud to have mood elevating properties.
- 1952 Jean Delay & Pierre Deniker) introduced chlorpromazine in the treatment of psychosis.
- 1955 meprobamate was introduced as ant-anxiety agent.
- 1958 Thomas Kuhn introduce imipramine in the treatment of depression
- 1958 Nathan line introduced MAOIs in the management of depression
- 1958 (Janssen) haloperidol synthesised in Belgium
- 1960 Sternbach used chlordiazeproxide as anti-anxiety agent
- 1966 Lambert used valproate in the treatment of bipolar disorders.
- 1968 Janssen used pimozide in the treatment of schizophrenia.
- 1967 Fernandez & Lopez-Ibor) used chlomipramine in OCD.
- 1971 Takezaki & Hanoaka used carbamazepine in bipolar disorders.
- 1988 Kane et al re-discovered as an effective antipsychotic agent for refractory schizophrenia. (Clozapine)
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- History of Modern Psychopharmacology: A Personal View With an Emphasis on Antidepressants
- Attitudes toward psychopharmacology among hospitalized patients from diverse ethno-cultural backgrounds
- A Brief History of Psychopharmacology
- The History of the Psychopharmacology of Schizophrenia
