Mespiperone C-11 (3-N-[11C] methylspiperone) is a radiolabeled 3-N-methylspiperone. 3-N-methylspiperone is high-affinity D2/3 dopamine and 5-HT2A serotonin receptor antagonist. It has been studied as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for imaging D2/3 and 5HT2A receptor densities.

Sumanirole is a novel dopamine agonist with high affinity and efficacy at D2 dopamine receptors and has a substantial degree of selectivity for the D2 receptor over other dopamine receptor subtypes. It had been in clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome but these studies were terminated for the efficacy reason.

Tetrahydropalmatine is a tetrahydroprotoberberine isoquinoline alkaloid that is a primary active constituent of herbal preparations containing plant species of the genera Stephania and Corydalis. The levo isomer of THP (L-THP) appears to contribute to many of the therapeutic effects of these preparations. The pharmacological profile of L-THP, which includes antagonism of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors and actions at dopamine D3, suggests that it may have utility for treating addiction. Clinical trials where L-THP was used for the treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction have promising results. The clinical trial is planned for the treatment of schizophrenia. L-Tetrahydropalmatine is recorded in the Chinese pharmacopoeia.

Quinelorane is an octahydropyrimido[4,5-g]quinolone derivative patented by American pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co. as for the treatment anxiety, Parkinson's syndrome, depression, and hypertension. Quinelorane acts as an agonist of dopamine agonist for the D2 and D3 receptors. In preclinical studies Quinelorane (IM) treatment produced dose-dependent effects on male sexual responding. Penile erections and masturbation were markedly facilitated following treatment with either 2.5 or 5 micrograms/kg quinelorane. Higher doses of quinelorane (10 and 25 micrograms/kg) generally did not further augment sexual responding but rather resulted in a return in sexual responding to control vehicle levels. Quinelorane had a biphasic effect on yawning behavior of the monkeys with low doses (2.5 and 5 micrograms/kg) facilitating yawning and high doses (25 micrograms/kg) inhibiting yawning.

Quinpirole (LY 171,555) is a psychoactive drug and research chemical which acts as a selective D2 and D3 receptor agonist. Quinpirole is the most widely used D2 agonist in in vivo and in vitro studies. Specific quinpirole binding in rat brain was saturable, and dependent on temperature, membrane concentration, sodium concentration and guanine nucleotides. Saturation analysis revealed high affinity binding characteristics (KD = 2.3 nM) which were confirmed by association-dissociation kinetics. The regional distribution of [3H]quinpirole binding sites roughly paralleled the distribution of [3H]spiperone binding sites, with greatest densities present in the striatum, nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercles. A variety of drugs, most notably monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOls), inhibit the binding of [3H]quinpirole, but not [3H]spiperone or [3H](-)N-n-Propylnorapomorphine, in rat striatal membranes by a mechanism that does not appear to involve the enzymatic activity of MAO. Clinically antidepressant MAOIs exhibited selectivity between sites labeled by [3H]quinpirole and [3H]spiperone as did a number of structurally related propargylamines and N-acylethylenediamine derivatives and other drugs such as debrisoquin and phenylbiguanide. Quinpirole has been shown to increase locomotion and sniffing behavior in mice and induces compulsive behavior symptomatic of obsessive compulsive disorder in rats.

Pardoprunox is a partial D2/3 dopamine receptor agonist and full 5-HT1A serotonin receptor agonist. Partial D(2/3) dopamine (DA) receptor agonists provide a novel approach to the treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease that may avoid common dopaminergic side effects, including dyskinesia and psychosis. Pardoprunox passed phase III clinical trial for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

Aplindore (DAB-452) is a small molecule that displays potent dopamine D2 receptor partial agonist activity in in vitro and in vivo assays and is predicted to have antipsychotic efficacy without motor side effects. Aplindore had been in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and restless legs syndrome. Aplindore was generally well tolerated and there were no withdrawals due to adverse events and no serious adverse events.

ACP-104 or N-Desmethylclozapine (NDMC), or norclozapine is a major metabolite of clozapine, which was developed like a small molecule drug candidate by ACADIA for treatment schizophrenia. ACP-104 combines M1 muscarinic agonist, 5-HT2A inverse agonist, and D2 and D3 dopamine partial agonist in a single compound and, therefore, uniquely addresses what ACADIA believed are the three most promising target mechanisms for treating schizophrenia. Then drug was discontinued, because the study did not meet its primary endpoint of antipsychotic efficacy or any of the secondary endpoints. Neither dose of ACP-104 demonstrated improved efficacy as compared to placebo. The most common adverse events in the treatment arms relative to placebo were increased salivation, tachycardia, and dyspepsia, which were noted to be dose-related. There was no clinically significant decrease in neutrophil counts in the study drug arms.

SB-277011 is a potent and selective dopamine D(3) receptor antagonist. SB-277011 attenuates reinforcing propertes of drugs of abuse incluting opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine and ethanol. SB-277011A produced a significant decrease in food intake in obese rats. Clinical development of SB-277011A has been halted by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, due to poor bioavailability (~2%) and a very short half-life (<20 min) in primates.