1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine is an effective blocker of striatal dopaminergic receptors in rat brain and is apparently the simplest chemical structure known to exert dopaminergic blocking activity. It is exhibited pronounced antihypertensive and weak sympatholytic activities in experimental animals. Blood pressure was also lowered in hypertensive patients and this effect was sometimes accompanied by a strong sedation, and after large repeated doses, by disorientation and stupor. In a filter paper bioassay 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine demonstrated acaricidal activity. 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine is a building block of many serotonergic and dopaminergic agents. Some of them have antidepressant activity.

McN-5652 is one of a series of substituted pyrrolo-isoquinolines that, as a group, potently inhibit the uptake of one or more of the monoamines, norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine. Receptor binding experiments indicated that McN-5652 has a weak affinity for serotonin 5-HT2 and alpha-1 adrenergic receptors. Abnormalities of the 5-HT transporter have been suggested in mood disorders, since it is one of the major binding sites of antidepressants. (+)-[11C]McN 5652 is an appropriate radiotracer to quantify 5-HT transporters in regions with relatively high concentration of 5-HT transporters, such as the midbrain, thalamus, and basal ganglia, and should prove useful in elucidating abnormalities of 5-HT transmission in neuropsychiatric conditions.

Racemic phenibut (beta-phenyl-gamma-aminobutyric acid or 4-amino-3-phenylbutyric acid) is a neuropsychotropic drug that was discovered and introduced into clinical practice in Russia in the 1960s. In pharmacological tests of locomotor activity, antidepressant and pain effects, S-phenibut was inactive. In contrast, R-phenibut turned out to be two times more potent than racemic phenibut in most of the tests. Racemic phenibut and R-phenibut demonstrated an affinity for GABAB receptors, in contrast, S-phenibut was not able to bind receptors. Pharmacological activity of racemic phenibut relies on R-phenibut and this correlates to the binding affinity of enantiomers of phenibut to the GABAB receptor. Both S- and R-phenibut bind to the α2-δ subunit of voltage-dependent calcium channels and exert gabapentin-like anti-nociceptive effects. In addition S-isomer was found to be a substrate of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase, however, the R-isomer is a competitive inhibitor.