The metabolism of chlorpromazine N-oxide in man and dog

1. The metabolism of chlorpromazine N-oxide was studied in female dogs and adult male humans after a single oral dose. 2. There was extensive metabolism in both species in that between four and seven metabolites were separately identified in urine and faeces. Apart from chlorpromazine N-oxide, chlorpromazine N,S-dioxide was the only isolated metabolite which retained the N-oxide group. The other identified metabolites were chlorpromazine and its 7-hydroxy, sulphoxide, N-desmethyl, 7-hydroxy-N-desmethyl and N-desmethylsulphoxide derivatives. 3. With dog samples, metabolites were separated by h.p.l.c. and individually collected prior to mass spectrometric analysis. With human samples, metabolites were directly subjected to h.p.l.c.-mass spectrometric determination. With all metabolites their structures were confirmed by direct comparison of their mass spectra and chromatographic behaviours with those of authentic samples. 4. The metabolites identified in urine and faeces were for the most part the same in both species, with the exceptions that chlorpromazine N-oxide was identified in the faeces of dog only and 7-hydroxy-N-desmethylchlorpromazine was identified in the urine of man only. 5. The observation of N-oxide compounds in the excreta of both man and dog contrasted with that for the previously studied rat, where no such compounds were detected.