Quinelorane (LY163502) has the endocrine, neurochemical and behavioral profile of a potent and highly selective D2-dopaminergic agonist. The administration of quinelorane produced dose-related decreases in serum prolactin concentration of reserpinized, male rats and increases in serum corticosterone concentration of male rats. The minimum effective doses (MED) for these effects were 10 and 30 micrograms/kg i.p., respectively. Quinelorane induced increases in 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol-sulfate levels in the brain stem (MED, 30 micrograms/kg i.p.) and decreases in hypothalamic epinephrine levels (MED, 100 micrograms/kg i.p.) in male rats as determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection methods. Quinelorane induced increases in extracellular ascorbic acid as determined by in vivo voltammetry in the nucleus accumbens and striatum of male rats. Quinelorane produced concentration-dependent suppression of K+-evoked release of acetylcholine from superfused caudate slices, with an IC50 of approximately 10(-8)M. Quinelorane administration produced dose-related increases in compulsive, contralateral turning in male rats with unilateral nigrostriatal lesions and increases in locomotor activity and stereotypic behavior in male rats. In dogs, quinelorane administration produced dose-related increases in emetic response with an ED50 of 7 micrograms/kg i.v. Quinelorane administration also produced dose-related decreases in the striatal concentrations of the dopamine metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic (MED, 1 microgram/kg i.p. for both metabolites) as determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection methods and decreases in extracellular concentrations of homovanillic acid in the nucleus accumbens and striatum as determined by in vivo voltammetry., Quinelorane produced concentration-dependent decreases in K+-evoked dopamine release from superfused striatal slices (IC50 = 3 X 10(-9) M).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)