Dynamic Aspects of Chlorpromazine Metabolism

Abstract

The critical importance of O-and N-methylationinneurobiochemistry and pharmacology is apparent in current interest in such compounds as DMPEA, mescaline, reserpine, bufotenin, and epinephrine, to mention but a few. The ubiquitous N-methyl functional group is also common to a wide variety of psychotherapeutic agents, such as chlorpromazine, chlordiazepoxide, imipramine, amitriptyline, etc. Our work is predicated on the idea that certain metabolic pathways may be shared by these substances and that behavioral anomalies may be reflected in changing patterns of metabolic methylation and demethylation.