data + articles · 1 listed
newest 2004spec sheet8 rows
AC-90179 is a research compound and selective serotonin 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist, with additional 5-HT2C antagonist activity, that was studied as a potential atypical antipsychotic.
- Investigated as a potential antipsychotic mechanism that avoids the catalepsy and motor side effects seen with older dopamine-blocking antipsychotics
- Reduced hallucinogen (DOI)-induced head-twitch behavior in animal models, a standard readout of 5-HT2A blockade
Overview
A pure receptor-biology tool compound; it never became a drug, but it helped establish 5-HT2A inverse agonism as a real antipsychotic mechanism.
Mechanism
AC-90179 acts as a full inverse at the receptor (Ki approximately 2.1 nM) and as a competitive at the same site, while also antagonizing 5-HT2C receptors. It shows little affinity for or H1 receptors, the targets most associated with the motor and sedative side effects of older antipsychotics. In animal models it blocked the effects of the 5-HT2A agonist DOI (including head-twitch behavior) without producing catalepsy or impairing simple learned responses.
receptor fingerprint
receptorAntagonist
5-HT2C receptorAntagonist
Safetyrisks and cautions, not medical advice
AC-90179 has not been tested in humans. Its oral bioavailability in animal studies was limited, likely due to rapid metabolism rather than poor absorption. No human safety or tolerability data exist.
Subjective profileweighing the evidence above
A clean piece of pharmacology that never reached a human dose. Blocking 5-HT2A without touching dopamine was a good idea, but poor oral bioavailability in animals ended it there, so this is something to read about rather than something that exists as a drug.
Resources
This entry is here for reference.
Research
1 listed here; entry last updated July 2026
Reviews
My notesprivate to this device
FAQ
What is AC-90179 used for?
It has no approved use. It is a laboratory research compound used to study 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonism as a potential antipsychotic mechanism.
How does AC-90179 work?
It binds the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor and suppresses its baseline (constitutive) activity as an inverse agonist, while also blocking the closely related 5-HT2C receptor.
Is AC-90179 well-researched?
It is limited to a small set of preclinical pharmacology studies; it was never taken into human clinical trials.
Limitations of the evidence
- Never advanced to human testing; no clinical safety data exists
- Limited oral bioavailability in animal studies due to rapid metabolism