Abstract
A sensitive assay procedure for determining hepatic N-demethylation of metharbital is presented. The assay is based on the ability of an antibody to differentiate between the parent drug (metharbital) and its metabolite (barbital). The method is sensitive, so that less than 1 nmol of barbital formed per incubation flask can be measured. In addition to sensitivity, the assay requires no organic extraction procedures and, therefore, offers advantages in terms of speed, ease of assay and capability for using automated techniques. The method described should be applicable to a variety of enzyme reactions after production of an antibody which binds the product of the reaction. Once this is accomplished the method is extremely useful where current methodology suffers due to lack of sensitivity, availability of only small amounts of enzyme or time-consuming organic extraction procedures.
Footnotes
- Received August 24, 1973.
- Accepted December 17, 1973.
- © 1974 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.
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