Pharmacology · Class
Dopamine agonists !
Drugs that stimulate dopamine receptors directly. Used in Parkinson disease, restless legs and high prolactin; they can trigger impulse-control disorders.
Updated 2026-11-01
What they are
Two families: the ergot derivatives (bromocriptine, cabergoline), used mainly to lower prolactin, and the non-ergot agonists (pramipexole, ropinirole, rotigotine, apomorphine), used in Parkinson disease and restless legs syndrome. They act directly on D2-like receptors, so they do not need the dying dopamine neurons to work.
Mechanism of action
They bind D2 and D3 receptors in the striatum (movement) and on pituitary lactotroph cells, where D2 stimulation switches off prolactin secretion.
Target: Dopamine D2 and D3 receptors
Drugs in this class
- PramipexoleA non-ergot dopamine agonist for Parkinson disease and restless legs. Known for sudden sleep attacks and…Dopamine D3 and D2 receptors (D3 shown)
- RopiniroleA non-ergot dopamine agonist for Parkinson disease and restless legs. Cleared by the liver (CYP1A2); causes sleep…Dopamine D2 receptor
- CabergolineA long-acting ergot dopamine agonist that lowers prolactin and shrinks prolactinomas. Valve disease and fibrosis are…Dopamine D2 receptor
- BromocriptineAn ergot dopamine agonist that lowers prolactin and growth hormone. Used in prolactinoma, acromegaly and, less often…Dopamine D2 receptor
Others in the class
- Rotigotina (parche)
- Apomorfina
- Piribedil
Test yourself
Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.
Which behavioural adverse effect must be asked about in every patient on a dopamine agonist?
Impulse-control disorders: pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, binge eating or hypersexuality.
Which dopamine agonists carry a risk of valve disease and fibrosis?
The ergot derivatives, cabergoline and bromocriptine.
Why do dopamine agonists lower prolactin?
Dopamine acting on D2 receptors of pituitary lactotrophs is the main brake on prolactin release.
Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.
Sources: Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14th ed., ch. 21 (McGraw Hill, 2023); Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14th ed., ch. 46 (McGraw Hill, 2023); Farmacología básica y clínica (Katzung), 16.ª ed., cap. 28 (McGraw Hill, 2025); DailyMed - PRAMIPEXOLE DIHYDROCHLORIDE tablet (DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2026).
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Representative model, for educational purposes only.