Tissue distribution of chlorimipramine and its demethylated metabolite after a single dose in the rat.

The pattern of distribution of chlorimipramine (CI) and of its demethyl-derivative (DMCI) in different organs (lung, liver, kidney, heart and spleen) 24 h after a single dose of CI was examined and related to the amounts of the most representative classes of lipids present in tissues. The findings here reported show that lung and liver have the highest capacity to accumulate CI while DMCI was preferentially accumulated by lung, spleen and kidney. The capacity of the examined tissues to accumulate CI and DMCI did not relate to their lipid content.