acepromazine

Acepromazine is a phenothiazine derivative antipsychotic and neuroleptic drug primarily used in veterinary medicine as a sedative and tranquilizer. It is most commonly administered to dogs, cats, horses, and other animals for sedation before surgery or stressful procedures and as a preanesthetic agent. Acepromazine also has antiemetic properties (prevents vomiting) and can be used to alleviate motion sickness in animals. Its mechanism of action involves antagonism at multiple postsynaptic receptors including dopaminergic (D1–D4), serotonergic (5-HT1/5-HT2), histaminergic (H1), alpha-adrenergic (α1/α2), and muscarinic cholinergic receptors. This broad receptor blockade results in sedation/tranquilization, muscle relaxation, antiemesis, hypotension due to α1-blockade, mild antihistaminic effects, slight antiserotonin activity as well as some peripheral anticholinergic effects[1][3][4][6][8]. Acepromazine is not typically used in humans today but was previously employed as an antipsychotic.

Brand names

PromAceAceprojectAceprotabs

Other names

acepromazine maleate