Date Created: 23/06/1999 Last Modified: 19/01/2002 Last Checked: 21/10/2002
For antidepressants and anti-psychotics (neuroleptics) this relates mainly to Histamine (H1) blockade potency (assuming the drug crosses the blood / brain barrier). See other notes for details of H1 affinities of various drugs.
In brief, from most to least sedative in rank order;
Very sedative:-- Clozapine, Chlorpromazine, Thioridazine
Much less:-- Thiothixene, Olanzapine, Fluphenazine
Non-sedative:-- Risperidone, Haloperidol
V sedative:-- Mianserin, Doxepin, Amitriptyline, Dothiepin
Much less sedative:-- Nortriptyline, Clomipramine, Imipramine,
Non-sedative:-- Desipramine, lofepramine.