Clozapine N-oxide (CNO) is a synthetic drug used mainly in biomedical research as a ligand to activate Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs), [1] despite the initial belief that it was biologically inert.

Clozapine N-oxide (CNO) is a major metabolite of clozapine (Prod. No. BML-D107). CNO activates designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) that are derived from human muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (M 1-5 D receptors).

Clozapine N-oxide (CNO), inactive from of clozapine drug, activates G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). CNO serves as a synthetic ligand for engineered human muscarinic receptor. It elicits clozapine-like effects upon metabolic conversion. Clozapine conversion to CNO favors its passage through blood-brain barrier.

Clozapine N-oxide (CNO) is a ligand for a powerful chemogenetic system that can selectively inhibit or activate neurons; the so-called Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADD) system.

clozapine N-oxide | C18H19ClN4O | CID 135445691 - structure, chemical names, physical and chemical properties, classification, patents, literature, biological activities, safety/hazards/toxicity information, supplier lists, and more.

Clozapine N-oxide: A metabolite of clozapine and muscarinic DREADD agonist. CAS Number: 34233-69-7. Synonym: CNO. Purity: ≥98%.

It must be cautioned that a “safe” dose of CNO to be used by other researchers cannot be extrapolated from our experiments. Rather, each laboratory using CNO must validate its use in their specific species, strain, and paradigm.

Clozapine-N-oxide is a ligand that activates engineered GPCRs called “receptors activated solely by synthetic ligands” (RASSLs) or “designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs” (DREADDs); this allows for the studying of GPCR signaling control in vitro and in vivo.