Ractopamine is a feed additive to promote leanness in animals raised for their meat. Pharmacologically, it is a TAAR1 agonist and β adrenoreceptor agonist that stimulates β1 and β2 adrenergic receptors. Ractopamine is known to increase the rate of weight gain, improve feed efficiency, and increase carcass leanness in finishing swine. Its use in finishing swine yields about three kilograms of additional lean pork and improves feed efficiency by 10%. Ractopamine is the active ingredient in products known as Paylean for swine and Optaflexx for cattle, developed by Elanco Animal Health, a division of Eli Lilly and Company, for use in food animals for growth promotion. Ractopamine use has been banned in most countries, including the European Union, mainland China and Russia while 27 other countries, such as Japan, the United States, Canada, and South Korea, have deemed meat from livestock fed ractopamine safe for human consumption. Ractopamine is safe for finishing pigs heavier than 240 lb (110 kg) when administered in the diet at concentrations up to 10 ppm and fed for up to 35 days.

Dichlorobenzyl alcohol has broad-spectrum activity as an antimicrobial agent and is used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Dichlorobenzyl alcohol has antimicrobial effect against 115 strains of dental plaque. Dichlorobenzyl alcohol inhibited growth of microorganisms but showed highest activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans and Por. gingivalis, organisms related to juvenile and destructive forms of periodontitis. It is a common ingredient in throat lozenges such as Neo angin, Strepsils, Lorsept, and Gorpils. A throat lozenge containing amyl meta cresol and dichlorobenzyl alcohol has a direct virucidal effect on respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV).

Dimetofrine is a selective agonist of post-synaptic a1-adrenergic receptors. The drug was investigated as a cardiostimulant to treat orthostatic hypotension. Clinical investigation showed that dimetofrine relieves asthenia, paleness, drowsiness, fatigue, headache and other symptoms associated with hypotension. It was observed, that in acidic conditions similar to conditions in the stomach, dimetofrine is able to react with nitrites with the formation of highly mutagenic compound 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (DMBQ).

Mabuterol is a long acting βeta 2-adrenergic agonist which stimulates adenylyl cyclase activity and the closing of calcium channels. Studies indicate that the R enantiomer of mabuterol is more potent than the S enantiomer. In addition, the half-life is longer in the R enantiomer than the S. Studies conducted on rats and dogs show that mabuterol acts as a bronchodilator. At high concentrations mabuterol can also antagonize beta1 adrenoceptors in guinea pigs

Cinnamedrine is an active ingredient of midol (a combination of cinnamedrine hydrochloride, aspirin, phenacetin, and caffeine) used to relieve dysmenorrhea. Midol was an over-the-counter drug, which was discontinued due to a marketing decision.

Nordefrin is a catecholamine sympathomimetic used as a topical nasal decongestant and vasoconstrictor. Nordefrin is a racemic mixture of levo- and dextro- isomers and levonordefrin to be 100 to 200 times more active than dextro-nordefrin in raising blood pressure. Nordefrin is a structural isomer of epinephrine and levonordefrin produced a greater increase in heart rate than epinephrine.