Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry

Background：Hypersalivation can be a troublesome side effect of clozapine， limiting its usefulness in the management of some cases of schizophrenia. But the pharmacodynamic basis of clozapine-induced hypersalivation remains obscure.

Object：The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the α2-adrenergicagonist clonidine on clozapine-induced hypersalivation in the patients who were receiving clozapine.

Method：Twenty one schizophrenic inpatients on clozapine participated in the study. The amount of saliva was measured on the 7th day at 8pm after starting clozapine treatment. Of them， 15 patients who had experienced hypersalivation was treated with 0.1mg/day of clonidine.

Result：Of 21 schizophrenic patients treated with clozapine in the psychiatric inpatient clinic， 15(71.4%) complained hypervalivation. After clonidine treatment， mean salivary flow-rate was decreased significantly in these patients.

Conclusion：Clozapine-induced hypersalivation could be decreased by administration of α₂-adrenergic agonist clonidine and compliance could be improved. Also our study supports the notion that increased adrenergic tone contributes to clozapine-induced hypersalivation.

Keywords Clozapine;Clonidine;Hypersalivation.