Mafoprazine is an antipsychotic of the phenylpiperazine class which is used in veterinary medicine. Intramuscular injections of mafoprazine mesylate are used for the sedation of pigs either on its own, or in combination with sodium pentobarbital or thiopental.
Pharmacology
It demonstrates activity as a D2 dopamine receptor antagonist, an α1 adrenergic receptor antagonist, and an α2 adrenergic receptor agonist. The affinity of mafoprazine for D2 dopamine receptors is 6 and 16 times lower than that of chlorpromazine and haloperidol, respectively, but 2 times higher than that of azaperone. The Ki for various receptors was determined using rat neuronal receptor binding assays.
History Mafoprazine was first synthesized in 1988. It is sold as Mafropan® by DS Pharma Animal Health Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
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