In Vitro Effects of Chlorpromazine and Meprobamate on Blast Transformation and Chromosomes

Summary The effects of chlorpromazine and meprobamate on chromosomes, blast transformation, and mitotic index were investigated in primary cultures of normal human leukocytes. Neither chlorpromazine nor meprobamate raised the rate of chromosome abberrations, when added at different times and in various concentrations. 2 × 10-5 M of CPZ decrease the number of blast cells but increased the mitotic index in 72-hour cultures if added during the first 18 hr. The increase in the mitotic index is apparently due to metaphase arrest (C-mitosis).