Flibanserin is the first drug to be approved for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women by the FDA in August 2015. It was originally developed as an antidepressant medication by Boehringer Ingelheim, but showed lack of efficacy in trials and was further developed as a hypoactive sexual disorder drug by Sprout Pharmaceuticals. Flibanserin's mechanism of action is attributed to its high affinity for 5-HTA1 and 5-HTA2 receptors, displaying agonist activity on 5-HTA1 and antagonist on 5-HTA2, resulting in lowering of serotonin in the brain as well as an effect on increasing norepinephrine and dopamine neurotransmitters. Flibansetrin has high affinity for serotonin receptors in the brain: it acts as an agonist on 5-HT1A and an antagonist on 5-HT2A. In vivo, flibanserin binds equally to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors. However, under higher levels of brain 5-HT (i.e., under stress), flibanserin may occupy 5-HT2A receptors in higher proportion than 5-HT(1A) receptors. It may also moderately antagonize D4 (dopamine) receptors and 5-HT2B and 5-HTB2C. Its action on neurotransmitter receptors may contribute to reduction in serotonin levels and increase in dopamine and norepinephrine levels, all of which may play part in reward processing. Flibanserin is sold under the trade name Addyi and indicated for the treatment of premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) as characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty.

Rotigotine is an agonist at all 5 dopamine receptor subtypes (D1-D5) but binds to the D3 receptor with the highest affinity. It is also an antagonist at α-2-adrenergic receptors and an agonist at the 5HT1A receptors. Rotigotine also inhibits dopamine uptake and prolactin secretion. It is FDA approved for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, restless legs syndrome. Dopamine antagonists, such as antipsychotics or metoclopramide, may diminish the effectiveness of Rotigotine. Common adverse reactions include nausea, vomiting, somnolence, application site reactions, dizziness, anorexia, hyperhidrosis, insomnia and dyskinesia.

Pramipexole is a nonergot dopamine agonist with high relative in vitro specificity and full intrinsic activity at the D2 subfamily of dopamine receptors, binding with higher affinity to D3 than to D2 or D4 receptor subtypes. The relevance of D3 receptor binding in Parkinson's disease is unknown. The precise mechanism of action of Pramipexole as a treatment for Parkinson's disease is unknown, although it is believed to be related to its ability to stimulate dopamine receptors in the striatum. This conclusion is supported by electrophysiologic studies in animals that have demonstrated that Pramipexole influences striatal neuronal firing rates via activation of dopamine receptors in the striatum and the substantia nigra, the site of neurons that send projections to the striatum. Pramipexole is used for the treatment of signs and symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease.

Haloperidol is a phenyl-piperidinyl-butyrophenone that is used primarily to treat schizophrenia and other psychoses. It is also used in schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorders, ballism, and Tourette syndrome (a drug of choice) and occasionally as adjunctive therapy in mental retardation and the chorea of Huntington disease. It is a potent antiemetic and is used in the treatment of intractable hiccups. Haloperidol also exerts sedative and antiemetic activity. Haloperidol principal pharmacological effects are similar to those of piperazine-derivative phenothiazines. The drug has action at all levels of the central nervous system-primarily at subcortical levels-as well as on multiple organ systems. Haloperidol has strong antiadrenergic and weaker peripheral anticholinergic activity; ganglionic blocking action is relatively slight. It also possesses slight antihistaminic and antiserotonin activity. The precise mechanism whereby the therapeutic effects of haloperidol are produced is not known, but the drug appears to depress the CNS at the subcortical level of the brain, midbrain, and brain stem reticular formation. Haloperidol seems to inhibit the ascending reticular activating system of the brain stem (possibly through the caudate nucleus), thereby interrupting the impulse between the diencephalon and the cortex. The drug may antagonize the actions of glutamic acid within the extrapyramidal system, and inhibitions of catecholamine receptors may also contribute to haloperidol's mechanism of action. Haloperidol may also inhibit the reuptake of various neurotransmitters in the midbrain, and appears to have a strong central antidopaminergic and weak central anticholinergic activity. The drug produces catalepsy and inhibits spontaneous motor activity and conditioned avoidance behaviours in animals. The exact mechanism of antiemetic action of haloperidol has also not been fully determined, but the drug has been shown to directly affect the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) through the blocking of dopamine receptors in the CTZ. Haloperidol is marketed under the trade name Haldol among others.

Trifluoperazine (Eskazinyl, Eskazine, Jatroneural, Modalina, Stelazine, Terfluzine, Trifluoperaz, Triftazin) is a typical antipsychotic of the phenothiazine chemical class used for the short-term treatment of certain types of anxiety. Trifluoperazine blocks postsynaptic mesolimbic dopaminergic D1 and D2 receptors in the brain; depresses the release of hypothalamic and hypophyseal hormones and is believed to depress the reticular activating system thus affecting basal metabolism, body temperature, wakefulness, vasomotor tone, and emesis. The primary application of trifluoperazine is for schizophrenia. Other official indications may vary country by country, but generally, it is also indicated for use in agitation and patients with behavioral problems, severe nausea, and vomiting as well as severe anxiety. Trials have shown a moderate benefit of this drug in patients with borderline personality disorder. A 2004 meta-analysis of the studies on trifluoperazine found that it is more likely than placebo to cause extrapyramidal side effects such as akathisia, dystonia, and Parkinsonism. It is also more likely to cause somnolence and anticholinergic side effects such as red-eye and xerostomia (dry mouth).

Epinephrine is a sympathomimetic catecholamine. It acts as a naturally occurring agonist at both alpha and beta-adrenergic receptors. Three pharmacologic types have been identified: alpha 1-, alpha 2-, and beta-adrenergic receptors. Each of these has three subtypes, characterized by both structural and functional differences. The alpha 2 and beta receptors are coupled negatively and positively, respectively, to adenylyl cyclase via Gi or Gs regulatory proteins, and the alpha 1 receptors modulate phospholipase C via the Go protein. Subtype expression is regulated at the level of the gene, the mRNA, and the protein through various transcriptional and postsynthetic mechanisms. Through its action on alpha-adrenergic receptors, epinephrine lessens the vasodilation and increased vascular permeability that occurs during anaphylaxis, which can lead to loss of intravascular fluid volume and hypotension. Through its action on beta-adrenergic receptors, epinephrine causes bronchial smooth muscle relaxation and helps alleviate bronchospasm, wheezing and dyspnea that may occur during anaphylaxis. Epinephrine also alleviates pruritus, urticaria, and angioedema and may relieve gastrointestinal and genitourinary symptoms associated with anaphylaxis because of its relaxer effects on the smooth muscle of the stomach, intestine, uterus and urinary bladder. Epinephrine increases glycogenolysis, reduces glucose up take by tissues, and inhibits insulin release in the pancreas, resulting in hyperglycemia and increased blood lactic acid.

Ensaculin is related to naturally occurring benzopyranones like scoparone. The compound is a potent functional antagonist of excitatory amino acid-induced convulsions and mortality. In receptor-binding studies, Ensaculin showed high affinity to dopaminergic (D2, D3), serotoninergic (5-HT1A, 5-HT7), and adrenergic (A1a, A1b) receptors in the nanomolar range. Ensaculin antagonizes NMDA responses in a voltage-dependent manner. Various studies support the notion that this compound could indeed have a broad range of nootropic properties. Although few patients presented postural hypotension and dizziness after receiving ensaculin in phase I clinical trials, this drug candidate was further discontinued in phase III due to potential side effects.

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.

Eticlopride {2S(−)-3-chloro-5-ethyl-N-[(1-ethyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)methyl]-6-hydroxy-2-methoxybenzamide} is an antagonist at dopamine D2 and D3 receptors. It is widely used for in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo examination of D2/D3 receptors densities and function. Eticlopride exerts antipsychotic activity in animals.

Belaperidone (LU111995) is a recently identified antipsychotic agent with high 5-hydroxytryptamine2 and dopamine D4 receptor affinities as well as D4 versus D2 receptor selectivity. The drug did not produce catalepsy. LU111995 prolongs the Q-T interval to a limited degree and is not arrhythmogenic over the physiological range of cycle lengths. Belaperidone had been in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of schizophrenia. However, the study about this drug candidate was discontinued.