What is the drug eskatrol used for?: Exploring a Discontinued Appetite Suppressant

October 11, 2025 •

3 min read

In the early 1980s, Eskatrol was among the 200 most widely prescribed drugs in the United States, marketed as a "diet pill" to aid in weight loss. However, the product was withdrawn from the market in 1981 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after its manufacturer failed to prove its effectiveness.

Quick Summary

This article details the history of the discontinued drug Eskatrol, its combination of dextroamphetamine and prochlorperazine, its original use as a weight-loss agent, and the circumstances surrounding its withdrawal from the US market by the FDA in 1981.

Key Points

Discontinued Drug: Eskatrol is no longer available as it was withdrawn from the US market by the FDA in 1981.
Combination Formula: It was a combination of dextroamphetamine, a CNS stimulant, and prochlorperazine, an antipsychotic.
Original Use: The medication was originally used as an appetite suppressant, or "diet pill," for weight loss.
Reason for Withdrawal: The manufacturer failed to prove the drug's therapeutic efficacy to the FDA, coupled with growing concerns over amphetamine abuse.
Modern Approach: The medical community now favors more targeted, evidence-based treatments for weight loss and related conditions, with strict safety and efficacy standards.
Represents an Era: Eskatrol's history illustrates a significant shift in pharmaceutical regulation, moving away from combination drugs with unproven benefits toward safer, more effective solutions.

What Was Eskatrol?

Eskatrol was a brand-name prescription medication. It combined dextroamphetamine sulfate and prochlorperazine maleate. Primarily marketed as an appetite suppressant or "diet pill" for weight loss, it was popular from the 1960s to the 1970s when amphetamine-based drugs were commonly prescribed for obesity. The combination aimed to use the appetite suppression of amphetamine while prochlorperazine, a tranquilizer, intended to lessen stimulant-associated nervousness.

The Ingredients: A Look at the Pharmacological Actions

Understanding Eskatrol involves examining its main ingredients:

Dextroamphetamine Sulfate

Dextroamphetamine is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant. It suppresses appetite by acting on the hypothalamus and increases alertness, attention, and physical activity by boosting neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. However, it carries a high potential for abuse and dependency.

Prochlorperazine Maleate

Prochlorperazine is a phenothiazine, a type of antipsychotic drug. It was included to counter the psychological effects of dextroamphetamine. Today, prochlorperazine is mainly used for severe nausea, vomiting, and anxiety and is not combined with amphetamines for weight loss. Prochlorperazine has its own potential side effects, including extrapyramidal symptoms.

Why Eskatrol Was Withdrawn from the Market

Eskatrol's withdrawal in 1981 was part of the FDA's stricter regulatory approach. Key reasons included:

Lack of Demonstrated Efficacy: The FDA found that the manufacturer had not sufficiently proven the combination's effectiveness for weight loss, raising questions about whether it offered more benefit than dextroamphetamine alone.
Concerns about Amphetamine Abuse: Amid rising concerns about misuse, the FDA in the 1970s restricted amphetamine use for obesity to short-term, medically supervised situations.
Safety Profile: The combination of a stimulant and an antipsychotic presented complex risks, and drugs with questionable benefits and potential dangers were targeted for removal.

Comparison of Eskatrol to Modern Treatments

Contemporary pharmacological approaches for weight management and ADHD differ significantly, emphasizing safety and evidence-based results.


Feature	Eskatrol (Discontinued)	Modern Weight Loss Drugs (e.g., Phentermine)	Modern ADHD Stimulants (e.g., Adderall)
Ingredients	Dextroamphetamine and Prochlorperazine	Phentermine, sometimes combined with other agents like Topiramate	Mixed amphetamine salts (dextroamphetamine and amphetamine)
Targeted Use	Weight loss by suppressing appetite while mitigating stimulant side effects	Short-term appetite suppression as part of a supervised weight loss plan	Treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy, increasing attention and decreasing hyperactivity
Regulatory Status	Withdrawn from US market in 1981 for lack of proven efficacy	FDA-approved and controlled substances, with strict prescribing guidelines	FDA-approved and controlled substances (Schedule II)
Efficacy	Manufacturer failed to prove efficacy	Proven effective for short-term weight loss when combined with diet and exercise	Proven effective for managing ADHD and narcolepsy symptoms

The Shift to a Modern Pharmacological Approach

Eskatrol's discontinuation reflects the evolution of pharmaceutical regulation from loosely regulated "diet pills" to an evidence-based approach. Modern weight management involves diet, exercise, and behavior modification, with medication as a supplementary tool. ADHD treatments now target the specific neurochemical imbalances. This shift ensures drugs are both effective and safe, making Eskatrol's history a case study in advancing pharmaceutical safety.

Conclusion

Eskatrol was a combination drug with dextroamphetamine and prochlorperazine, used as a diet pill but withdrawn by the FDA in 1981 due to unproven effectiveness and concerns over amphetamine abuse. It is no longer available and represents an outdated approach to weight management now replaced by safer, evidence-based treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Eskatrol is no longer prescribed. It was withdrawn from the US market by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981.

The active ingredients in Eskatrol were dextroamphetamine sulfate, a central nervous system stimulant, and prochlorperazine, a tranquilizer and antipsychotic.

The FDA mandated Eskatrol's withdrawal because its manufacturer failed to demonstrate its therapeutic effectiveness for weight loss. The action was also part of a broader regulatory effort targeting amphetamine misuse.

The stimulant, dextroamphetamine, was intended to suppress appetite, while the antipsychotic, prochlorperazine, was included to mitigate some of the side effects associated with the stimulant, such as nervousness and anxiety.

Modern alternatives to Eskatrol include FDA-approved medications like phentermine, which is used for short-term appetite suppression under a doctor's supervision as part of a weight-loss plan.

In the 1970s and 80s, the FDA limited amphetamine use for weight loss to short-term periods and increased warnings due to stimulant abuse concerns. This led to the withdrawal of several combination diet pills, including Eskatrol.

Yes, dextroamphetamine is still prescribed today, but for different conditions and in different formulations. For example, it is a component of some ADHD medications like Adderall, which is used to increase attention and decrease impulsiveness.