thiothixene

General information

• Class: Antipsychotic
• Common US brands: Navane
• Typical dose range: The label recommends individualizing dose based on chronicity and severity, starting low and titrating gradually to the optimal effective level (label).
• Therapeutic drug monitoring not routinely recommended.
• Last reviewed: 2026-02-22

Dosing & forms

• Forms/strengths: Capsules: 1 mg, 2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg (label/manufacturer-dependent).
• Frequency: Label examples: in milder conditions, an initial dose of 2 mg three times daily; in more severe conditions, an initial dose of 5 mg twice daily (label).
• Typical range: The label recommends individualizing dose based on chronicity and severity, starting low and titrating gradually to the optimal effective level (label).

Mechanism (brief)

High-potency thioxanthene first-generation antipsychotic (D2 antagonism); typically higher EPS risk than low-potency phenothiazines, with lower metabolic burden than many SGAs.

Metabolism & Half‑life

• Metabolism: Hepatic metabolism
• Half‑life: —

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM)

Recommended: No

Monitoring highlights

• Movement symptoms (akathisia, rigidity, tremor; tardive dyskinesia screening).
• Hyperprolactinemia symptoms (amenorrhea, galactorrhea, sexual dysfunction).
• Sedation and functional impairment (falls risk).
• Weight and cardiometabolic risk factors over time (pragmatic baseline/periodic monitoring).
• Akathisia check-in after dose changes (restlessness can mimic anxiety or agitation).

Sources

• Thiothixene capsules prescribing information — DailyMed (2025)
• First-Generation Versus Second-Generation Antipsychotics in Adults: Comparative Effectiveness — Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (NCBI Bookshelf) (2012)
• The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients With Schizophrenia — American Psychiatric Association (2020)
• AGNP Consensus Guidelines for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Neuropsychopharmacology — Pharmacopsychiatry (2018)