According to Roth (1964), the term "psychopharmakon" was used for the first time by Reinhardus Lorichius of Hadamar who, in 1548, edited a collection of prayers of comfort and in preparation for death under the title "Psychopharmakon, hoc est: medicina animae". With the introduction of chlorpromazine in 1952, the era of psychopharma cology began. The "psychopharmakon" of the Renaissance and the twentieth century differ from each other in concept and meaning; the spiritual support in times of increased anxiety and fear has been replaced by drugs which "tranquilize" the agitated and brighten the mood of the depressed. Thus, the pioneering discovery by Delay et al. (1952) of the usefulness of phenothiazines in schizophrenics, followed by the report of Loomer et al. (1957) on the antidepressant effect of iproniazid and Kuhn's (1957) observation of the thymoleptic property of imipramine triggered a revolution in psychiatry. Subsequently, numerous new psychopharmaka have been introduced. Parallel with this development, the interest in experimental behavioral research which began to utilize the newly discovered drugs as tools grew rapidly. The experience gained from studies of human and animal behavior found expression in the attempt to introduce a nomenclature and classify psychopharmaka on a purely psychological basis.

Inhalt
I. Phenothiazine Derivatives.- A. Structure-activity Relationships.- B. Peripheral Effects.- C. Central Effects.- D. Endocrine Effects.- E. Metabolic Fate of Phenothiazines.- F. Habituation and Withdrawal.- G. Adverse Reactions and Treatment Risks.- II. Butyrophenones.- A. Structure Activity Relationships.- B. Peripheral Effects.- C. Central Effects.- D. Biochemical Effects.- E. Adverse Reactions and Dangers.- III. Reserpine and Reserpine-like Agents.- A. Structure-activity Relationships.- B. Peripheral Effects.- C. Central Effects.- D. Endocrine Effects of Reserpine.- E. Metabolic Fate of Reserpine.- F. Adverse Reactions and Dangers.- IV. Minor Tranquilizers.- A. Central Effects.- B. Peripheral Effects.- C. Metabolic Studies.- D. Adverse Reactions.- V. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors.- A. The Physiologic Significance of Monoamine Oxidase.- B. Classification of MAO-inhibitors and their Structure-activity Relationship.- C. Biochemical and Pharmacologic Effects of MAO-inhibitors.- D. Fate of MAO-inhibitors in the Body.- E. Adverse Reactions and Dangers.- VI. Thymoleptics.- A. Peripheral Effects.- B. Central Effects.- C. Metabolic Fate.- D. Adverse Reactions.- VII. Chemical Structures, General Clinical Use and Daily Human Rose Range of the most Frequently Used Psychotherapeutic Drugs.- Abbreviations.