AN317 is a selective agonist for the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) containing α6β2, with dissociation constants (Ki) of 6.2 nM and 4.1 nM for the α6/α3β2β3 and α4β2 receptor subtypes, respectively. It induces dopamine release in rat striatal synaptosomes, enhances the activity of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, and exhibits protective effects against the dopaminergic neurotoxin MPP+ in rat neurons. AN317 also demonstrates favorable pharmacokinetic properties in rats and permeability across the blood-brain barrier (BB).