Clozapine is an atypical anti-psychotic compound that modulates a range of neurological receptors. Clozapine N-oxide is a major metabolite of clozapine that can be detected in the earliest excretion time interval after clozapine administration. It is produced by the action of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms CYP1A2 and CYP3A4, whose activities, in turn, can be affected by drugs and disease. Clozapine N-oxide is normally biologically inactive. However, it can be used in designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug, also known as DREADD, technology to modulate synthetic receptors in vivo.
