Butyrophenone

Butyrophenone (C₁₀H₁₂O)

Butyrophenones are a class of pharmaceutical drugs that block dopamine receptors and are used to treat various pyschiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, as well as acting as moderately effective antiemetics. Butyrophenone is also a compound on its own.[1]

Examples include:

• Haloperidol, the most widely used drug in this class
• Droperidol, often used for neuroleptanalgesic anesthesia and sedation in intensive care treatment
• Benperidol, the most potent commonly used antipsychotic (~ 200 times more potent as chlorpromazine)
• Triperidol, a highly potent antipsychotic (100 times more potent than chlorpromazine)
• Melperone, a weakly potent antipsychotic, in Europe commonly used for treatment of insomnia, confusional states, psychomotor agitation, and delirium, particular in geriatric patients
• Lenperone
• Domperidone, used to suppress nausea and vomiting. It has also been used to stimulate lactation.

The atypical antipsychotic risperidone, although not a butyrophenone, was developed with the structures of benperidol and lenperone as a basis.