PHA-543613 was discovered by Pfizer and has been under development primarily as a potential treatment of schizophrenia. PHA-543613 acts as an agonist to the Neuronal acetylcholine receptor protein alpha-7 subunit. A single human trial was conducted in healthy human volunteers, but the compound has been studied extensively in rat models for schizophrenia as well as Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease.

WIN 55212-2 is the synthetic cannabimimetic compound. It is a potent aminoalkylindole cannabinoid receptor agonist. WIN 55,212-2 increases expression of anti-oxidant Cu/Zn SOD and is able to prevent inflammation induced by Aβ1-42 in cultured astrocytes. It exerts neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory actions against Aβ damage through both CB₁ and CB₂ receptors. WIN 55212-2 attenuates hyperalgesia and allodynia in a rat model of neuropathic pain. In the clinical trial, it was revealed that WIN 55212-2, applied topically, decreases the intraocular pressure of human glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies within the first 30 min.

Pifithrin-alpha is a small molecule p53 functional inhibitor reported to behave like an antiapoptotic agent in neurodegenerative models. Pifithrin-alpha is a prodrug that under physiological conditions spontaneously undergoes ring closure to yield pifithrin-beta. Pifithrin-beta demonstrated antiproliferative and neuroprotective effects in vitro. Pifithrin-beta is able to activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in a complete independent way of the p53 inhibition.

NPS-2143 is a novel potent and selective antagonist of Ca(2+) receptor with IC50 of 43 nM. Blockage of CaSR with NPS-2143 has being shown to prevent the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in animal models of pulmonary hypertension. The use of calcilytics, antagonists of CaSR, may be a novel therapeutic approach for PAH patients. Calcilytic drugs have been researched as potential treatments for osteoporosis, and as the first such compound developed, NPS-2143 is still widely used in research into the CaSR receptor as well as design of newer calcilytic agents. When administered together with an antiresorptive agent (estradiol), NPS 2143 causes an increase in trabecular bone volume and bone mineral density in osteopenic rats.

A-582941 was found to exhibit high-affinity binding and agonism at alpha-7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7-nAChR), with acceptable pharmacokinetic properties and excellent distribution to the central nervous system. In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that A-582941 activates signaling pathways known to be involved in cognitive function such as ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation. A-582941 enhanced cognitive performance in behavioral assays including the monkey delayed matching-to-sample, rat social recognition, and mouse inhibitory avoidance models that capture domains of working memory, short-term recognition memory, and long-term memory consolidation, respectively. AbbVie is developing α7-nAChR agonists including A-582941 as neuroprotective agents for the treatment of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Development is at the preclinical stage.

Pseudopelletierine is the main alkaloid derived from the root-bark of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum). Pseudopelletierine is used as an enzyme substrate.

Pseudopelletierine is the main alkaloid derived from the root-bark of the pomegranate tree (Punica granatum). Pseudopelletierine is used as an enzyme substrate.

Lycorine is a natural pyrrolo[de]phenanthridine ring-type alkaloid extracted from Amaryllidaceae. It has been reported to exhibit a wide range of physiological effects, including anti-viral, anti-malarial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. Although a defined target or mechanism of action of lycorine is still unknown, it is a candidate anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drug.

Lycorine is a natural pyrrolo[de]phenanthridine ring-type alkaloid extracted from Amaryllidaceae. It has been reported to exhibit a wide range of physiological effects, including anti-viral, anti-malarial, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory. Although a defined target or mechanism of action of lycorine is still unknown, it is a candidate anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drug.

SB-271046 is one of the first selective 5-HT6 receptor antagonists to be discovered. SB-271046 is a potent, selective and orally active 5-HT6 receptor antagonist with a pKi value of 8.9. This compound provides a useful tool for further elucidating the physiological function of 5-HT6 receptors in vivo. SB-271046 was found to increase levels of the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters glutamate and aspartate, as well as dopamine and noradrenaline in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats, and 5-HT6 antagonists have been shown to produce nootropic effects in a variety of animal studies. Suggested applications of SB-271046 included treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric disorders. A phase I clinical development of SB-271046 by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) was discontinued due to a poor BBB permeability.