The influence of the sparteine and the S-mephenytoin oxidation polymorphisms on the kinetics of clomipramine were investigated in 25 healthy volunteers: 10 extensive metabolizers of sparteine and mephenytoin (EMs/EMm), nine poor metabolizers of sparteine and extensive metabolizers of mephenytoin (PMs/EMm), five extensive metabolizers of sparteine and poor metabolizers of mephenytoin (EMs/PMm), and one poor metabolizer of sparteine and mephenytoin (PMs/PMm). A single oral dose of 100 mg clomipramine hydrochloride was given to each subject after an overnight fast. Serum and urine levels of clomipramine and its metabolites were monitored after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 11, 14, 24, 36, 48, and 96 hours. Additional serum was monitored after 6, 9, 12, and 15 days in the poor metabolizers. 2-Hydroxyclomipramine was undetectable in most subjects before enzymatic hydrolysis of serum and urine. The total median clearance of clomipramine was 99 L.hr-1 (range, 68 to 210) in the EMs/EMm subjects, 56 L.hr-1 (range, 37 to 183) in the PMs/EMm subjects, 66 L.hr-1 (range, 37 to 89) in the EMs/PMm subjects, and 43 L.hr-1 in the PMs/PMm subject. It was significantly lower in PMs/EMm and EMs/PMm subjects compared with EMs/EMm subjects (p = 0.006 and 0.028, respectively; Mann-Whitney). In addition, the formation clearance of 2-hydroxyclomipramine and the hydroxylation indexes were significantly lower in PMs/EMm subjects, as was the demethylation index in EMs/PMm subjects compared with EMs/EMm subjects. Our data thus provide evidence that the 2- and 8-hydroxylation of clomipramine are catalyzed by CYP2D6 and that the N-demethylation is catalyzed in part by CYP2C.