The drug Antipressine® contained a combination of two active principles, dimethylaminoethanol reserpilinate and hydrobentizide. The combination was developed in the late 1960s as an innovative hypotensive drug to treat patients with arterial hypertension. The hydralazine derivative hydrobentizide (also known as hydrobenzthiazide) is a benzothiadiazine-sulfonamide acting as a diuretic agent. This well-tolerated compound has been largely used in the early 1970s to help reducing blood pressure, when combined with the hypotensive agent dimethylaminoethanol reserpilinate. This later compound derives from the alkaloid reserpinine, isolated from the plant Rauwolfia serpentina Benth. (Apocynaceae) which is largely used in traditional medicine to treat hypertension and mental illness. The plant is known for a long time to contain many indole alkaloids. Antipressine is no longer used today..
