Roxindole

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Dopaminergic & serotonergic drug developed for schizophrenia treatment

title: "Roxindole" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["abandoned-drugs", "drugs-developed-by-merck", "hydroxyarenes", "indoles", "tetrahydropyridines"] description: "Dopaminergic & serotonergic drug developed for schizophrenia treatment" topic_path: "arts/music" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxindole" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Dopaminergic & serotonergic drug developed for schizophrenia treatment ::

| IUPAC_name = 3-[4-(4-phenyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyridin-1-yl)butyl]-1H-indol-5-ol | image = Roxindole.png | image_class = skin-invert-image | width =

| tradename = | pregnancy_category = | legal_status = | routes_of_administration =

| bioavailability = | protein_bound = | metabolism = | elimination_half-life = | excretion =

| CAS_number = 112192-04-8 | ATC_prefix = None | ATC_suffix = | PubChem = 219050 | IUPHAR_ligand = 52 | ChemSpiderID = 189880 | UNII_Ref = | UNII = 43227SMS0O | synonyms = EMD-49980; EMD49980

| C=23 | H=26 | N=2 | O=1 | SMILES = Oc1ccc2c(c1)c(c[nH]2)CCCCN4C/C=C(/c3ccccc3)CC4

Roxindole (developmental code name EMD-49980) is a dopaminergic and serotonergic drug which was originally developed by Merck KGaA for the treatment of schizophrenia. In clinical trials its antipsychotic efficacy was only modest but it was unexpectedly found to produce potent and rapid antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. As a result, roxindole was further researched for the treatment of depression instead. It has also been investigated as a therapy for Parkinson's disease and prolactinoma. However, it has never been marketed.

Roxindole acts as an agonist at the following receptors:

At D2 and possibly D3 receptors roxindole is a partial agonist with preferential actions at autoreceptors and has been touted as a 'selective' autoreceptor agonist, hence the justification of its application as an antipsychotic. Weaker activity at the serotonin 1B and 1D receptors has been seen. It is also a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (IC50 = 1.4 nM) and has been reported to act as a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist as well.

References

References

  1. (1993). "Roxindole, a dopamine autoreceptor agonist, in the treatment of major depression". Psychopharmacology.
  2. (July 1991). "Antipsychotic efficacy of the dopaminergic autoreceptor agonist EMD 49980 (Roxindol). Results of an open clinical study". Pharmacopsychiatry.
  3. (March 1992). "Early clinical results with the neuroleptic roxindole (EMD 49,980) in the treatment of schizophrenia--an open study". European Neuropsychopharmacology.
  4. (1996). "Roxindole, a potential antidepressant. I. Effect on the dopamine system". Journal of Neural Transmission.
  5. (April 1993). "Treatment of Parkinson's disease with the partial dopamine agonist EMD 49980". Movement Disorders.
  6. (June 1994). "Treatment of prolactinoma patients with the new non-ergot dopamine agonist roxindol: first results". The Clinical Investigator.
  7. Elks, J.. (2014). "The Dictionary of Drugs: Chemical Data: Chemical Data, Structures and Bibliographies". Springer US.
  8. (June 1999). "Actions of roxindole at recombinant human dopamine D2, D3 and D4 and serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors". Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology.
  9. (September 2004). "Indolebutylamines as selective 5-HT(1A) agonists". Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
  10. (January 1989). "Biochemical and functional studies on EMD 49,980: a potent, selectively presynaptic D-2 dopamine agonist with actions on serotonin systems". European Journal of Pharmacology.
  11. (January 1996). "Roxindole: psychopharmacological profile of a dopamine D2 autoreceptor agonist". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
  12. (June 1999). "Actions of roxindole at recombinant human dopamine D2, D3 and D4 and serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors". Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology.
  13. (March 1997). "Roxindole, a dopamine autoreceptor agonist with a potential antidepressant activity. II. Effects on the 5-hydroxytryptamine system". Pharmacopsychiatry.

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abandoned-drugsdrugs-developed-by-merckhydroxyarenesindolestetrahydropyridines