Pharmacological and biochemical studies on a new potential neuroleptic, N-(1-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinyl)-5-chloro-2-methoxy-4-methylaminobenzamide (YM-08050).

Pharmacological and biochemical properties of a novel compound, N-(1-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinyl)-5-chloro-2-methoxy-4-methylaminobenzamide (YM-08050) were compared with those of haloperidol (HPD) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) in animals. YM-08050 was more potent than either HPD or CPZ in inhibitory effects on a variety of behaviors such as apomorphine-induced stereotypes behavior and emesis, methamphetamine-induced stereotyped behavior, conditioned avoidance response and open field behavior. YM-08050 induced catalepsy only at much higher doses than to exhibit the inhibitory activities. The inhibitory effects of YM-08050 on [3H]dopamine binding and dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase in the synaptic membrane fractions of canine caudate nucleus were much greater than those of HPD and CPZ. The results suggest that YM-08050, a potent central dopaminergic blocker, is a potential antipsychotic drug with less extrapyramidal side effects than those of HPD and CPZ.