Phenothiazine tranquilizers have been associated with pharmacokinetic drug interactions in man. In this study the in vivo and in vitro effects of the clinically important phenothiazines promazine (PZ) and chlorpromazine (CPZ) on drug oxidations catalysed by specific cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes were investigated in the rat. In vitro, the two drugs were relatively ineffective inhibitors of constitutive P450 activities, but were inhibitory toward the principal phenobarbital-inducible P450 2B1 and, to a lesser extent, P450 1A1. Administration of PZ and CPZ to male rats did not markedly influence the total microsomal P450 content of the liver. However, the quantitatively important male-specific P450 2C11 was down-regulated by CPZ and concomitant induction of P450 2B1 and associated 7-pentylresorufin O-depentylase activity were noted. A small increase in the activity of microsomal 7-ethylresorufin O-deethylase was also observed following administration of both drugs to rats, suggesting induction of P450 1A1/2. Considered together, it is apparent that the two phenothiazines are preferential inhibitors and inducers of P450 2B1 in rat liver. Drug interactions in humans involving phenothiazines may reflect a combined effect of induction and inhibition processes as well as down-regulation of other P450s, such as that produced by CPZ on P450 2C11.