THE RADIOIMMUNOASSAY OF TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANTS

Abstract
1 An antiserum to nortriptyline has been produced in a sheep against a nortriptyline-bovine serum albumin conjugate. The conjugate was prepared using the reagent N-(4-bromobutyl) phthalimide followed by a carbodiimide reaction to link the hapten to the carrier protein. 2 The antibodies produced were shown to be specific for the tricyclic group of drugs. 3 The sensitivity of the radioimmunoassay developed is currently limited by the lack of a high specific activity label. The possibilities of developing a radioimmunoassay for nortriptyline in plasma are discussed.