Arbutamine was indicated to elicit acute cardiovascular responses in order to aid in diagnosing the presence or absence of coronary artery disease in patients who cannot exercise adequately. Arbutamine is a synthetic catecholamine with positive chronotropic and inotropic properties. The chronotropic (increase in heart rate [HR]) and inotropic (increase in force of contraction) effects of arbutamine serve to mimic exercise by increasing cardiac work (producing stress) and provoke myocardial ischemia in patients with compromised coronary arteries. In functional assays, arbutamine is more selective for beta-adrenergic receptors than for alpha-adrenergic receptors. The beta-agonist activity of arbutamine provides cardiac stress by increasing HR, cardiac contractility, and systolic blood pressure.

Indinavir is an antiretroviral drug for the treatment of HIV infection. Indinavir is a protease inhibitor with activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1). Protease inhibitors block the part of HIV called protease. HIV-1 protease is an enzyme required for the proteolytic cleavage of the viral polyprotein precursors into the individual functional proteins found in infectious HIV-1. Indinavir binds to the protease active site and inhibits the activity of the enzyme. This inhibition prevents cleavage of the viral polyproteins resulting in the formation of immature non-infectious viral particles. Protease inhibitors are almost always used in combination with at least two other anti-HIV drugs.

Indinavir is an antiretroviral drug for the treatment of HIV infection. Indinavir is a protease inhibitor with activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1). Protease inhibitors block the part of HIV called protease. HIV-1 protease is an enzyme required for the proteolytic cleavage of the viral polyprotein precursors into the individual functional proteins found in infectious HIV-1. Indinavir binds to the protease active site and inhibits the activity of the enzyme. This inhibition prevents cleavage of the viral polyproteins resulting in the formation of immature non-infectious viral particles. Protease inhibitors are almost always used in combination with at least two other anti-HIV drugs.

Levalmodipine (S-amlodipine) is an active enantiomer of amlodipine, a calcium antagonist that inhibits the transmembrane influx of calcium ions into vascular smooth muscle and cardiac muscle. Experimental data suggest that S-amlodipine binds to both dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine binding sites. The contractile processes of cardiac muscle and vascular smooth muscle are dependent upon the movement of extracellular calcium ions into these cells through specific ion channels. S-Amlodipine inhibits calcium ion influx across cell membranes selectively, with a greater effect on vascular smooth muscle cells than on cardiac muscle cells. Enantiomerically pure S-amlodipine is marketed in some countries worldwide, while racemate, containing active S-enantiomer an inactive R-enantiomer is marketed in the USA and indicated for the treatment of hypertension and coronary artery disease.

Cetalkonium chloride is a cationic quaternary ammonium surfactant, which is used for the treatment of mouth ulcers and sores (Bonjela trade name). It is also serves as an excipient for the purpose of long-term stabilization of ciclosporin ocular formulation, used in patients with dry eye syndrom (Ikervis trade name). The antibacterial properties of cetalkonium can be explained by its detergent character. Once applied, cetalkonium blocks the survival of biofilm forming bacterias.

Bethanidine is a post-ganglionic adrenergic neurone-blocking agent which exerts a marked postural hypotensive effect. The precise mechanism whereby bethanidine causes blockade of adrenergic neurones is unknown. An initial sympathomimetic effect has been demonstrated in man and animals, possibly due to release of catecholamines.

Dipivefrin is a prodrug with little or no pharmacologically activity until it is hydrolyzed into epinephrine inside the human eye. The liberated epinephrine, an adrenergic agonist, appears to exert its action by stimulating α -and/or β2-adrenergic receptors, leading to a decrease in aqueous production and an enhancement of outflow facility. The dipivefrin prodrug delivery system is a more efficient way of delivering the therapeutic effects of epinephrine, with fewer side effects than are associated with conventional epinephrine therapy. Dipivefrin is used as initial therapy for the control of intraocular pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma.

Ritodrine (trade name Yutopar) is beta-2 adrenergic agonist used to stop premature labor. Ritodrine binds to beta-2 adrenergic receptors on the outer membrane of the myometrial cell, activates adenyl cyclase to increase the level of cAMP which decreases intracellular calcium and leads to a decrease of uterine contractions. In addition to stimulating the beta-2–adrenergic receptors of the uterine smooth muscle, ritodrine stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors of bronchial and vascular smooth muscles. The cardiostimulatory effects, including increased cardiac output, increased maternal and fetal heart rates, and widening of the maternal pulse pressure, are probably due to relaxation of the vascular smooth muscle. Relaxation of vascular smooth muscle stimulates the beta-1–adrenergic receptors and the reflex response to blood pressure. Also, during intravenous administration, ritodrine transiently increases maternal and fetal blood glucose and maternal plasma insulin concentrations. Other metabolic changes include increased cAMP, lactic acid, and free fatty acids, and decreased serum potassium concentration. Most side effects of β2 agonists result from their concurrent β1 activity and include the increase in heart rate, rise in systolic pressure, decrease in diastolic pressure, chest pain secondary to myocardial infarction, and arrhythmia. Beta-agonists may also cause fluid retention secondary to decrease in water clearance, which when added to the tachycardia and increased myocardial work, may result in heart failure. In addition, they increase gluconeogenesis in the liver and muscle resulting in hyperglycemia, which increases insulin requirements in diabetic patients. The passage of β agonists through the placenta does occur and may be responsible for fetal tachycardia, as well as hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia at birth.

Metrizoic acid is a diagnostic radiopaque that usually occurs as the sodium salt. The mechanism of action of metrizoic acid is as a X-Ray Contrast Activity.

In cosmetics and personal care products, Benzoxiquine has been reported to be used in the formulation of hair tonics, dressings, and other hair grooming aids. Benzoxiquine is described as a biocide for use in cosmetic products. It is currently reported to be used in only one product. In a separate finding, the Food and Drug Administration determined that Benzoxiquine is not generally recognized as safe and effective in over-the-counter topical antifungal drug products. The only data available on the toxicity of Benzoxiquine indicates that it is mutagenic in the Ames test without metabolic activation. Because of the lack of data, the safety of Benzoxiquine could not be substantiated. The data needed to make a safety assessment include purity/impurities, ultraviolet absorption (if there is absorption, then photosensitization data will be needed), 28-day dermal toxicity, dermal teratogenicity, ocular irritation (if already available only), dermal irritation and sensitization, and two different genotoxicity studies (one using a mammalian system). If the latter data are positive, dermal carcinogenesis data using the methods of the National Toxicology Program will be needed. It cannot be concluded that Benzoxiquine is safe for use in cosmetic products until these safety data have been obtained and evaluated.