Benzatropine is an anticholinergic drug used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) and extrapyramidal symptoms, except tardive dyskinesia. Benztropine, with the chemical formula 3alpha-diphenylmethoxytropane, is a tropane-based dopamine inhibitor used for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 3 references
Benztropine is an agent with anti-muscarinic and antihistaminic effects. Its main mechanism of action is presented by the selective inhibition of dopamine transporters but it also presents affinity for histamine and muscarine receptors.
It is widely known that benztropine is a potent inhibitor of presynaptic carrier-mediated dopamine transport. As well, it is known to be an analog of atropine and hence, it has a large affinity for muscarinic receptors M1 in the human brain. Once bound, benztropine blocks the activity of the muscarinic receptors mainly in the striatum.
The increased advantage of benztropine lays on the antagonism of acetylcholine activity which corrects the imbalance between dopamine and acetylcholine in Parkinson patients.
- Primary indication
- Benztropine is indicated to be used as an adjunct in the therapy of all forms of parkinsonism.Curator reviewed · 1 structured indication
- Formula / weight
- C21H25NO · 307.4293 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1999 · United States, 1959
- Also known as
- Benztropine · Tropine benzohydryl ether
- Code names
- NK-02
- Brand names
Resolves to
GIJXKZJWITVLHI-PMOLBWCYSA-NSMILES[H][C@]12CC[C@]([H])(C[C@@]([H])(C1)OC(C1=CC=CC=C1)C1=CC=CC=C1)N2CWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Benzatropine, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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