Preparation of 2-iodomorphine for use in radioimmunoassay

Radioimmunoassay of buprenorphine with iodine label: analysis of buprenorphine and metabolites in human plasma

Quantitative analysis of potent opiate drugs in plasma by radioimmunoassay is potentially inaccurate because of the occurrence of cross-reacting metabolites. This paper describes the chemical synthesis of buprenorphine-3-O-glucuronide, a metabolite of buprenorphine, and an extraction procedure coupled with radioimmunoassay which allows the sensitive and specific measurement of buprenorphine using an iodinated buprenorphine derivative. The measurement of extracted and unextracted samples using two different antisera allowed investigation of the metabolism of buprenorphine. In four patients who had taken sublingual buprenorphine for at least one month, N-dealkyl buprenorphine was present in similar concentrations to those of buprenorphine, while buprenorphine-3-O-glucuronide was present in two to three times those concentrations.

Sensitive and specific morphine radioimmunoassay with iodine label: pharmacokinetics of morphine in man after intravenous administration

Analysis of morphine in plasma by radioimmunoassay is complicated by interference from morphine metabolites, particularly morphine-3-glucuronide. This interference makes radioimmunoassay a poor technique to study the pharmacokinetics of morphine in man. The method described here is one which uses commercially available anti-morphine antiserum and separating reagent with a simply prepared iodinated morphine derivative. Cross-reactivity to morphine metabolites is negligible and the method correlates well with HPLC. Results obtained for pharmacokinetic parameters after intravenous administration in man are in agreement with published data using GLC or HPLC. The method is inexpensive, simple and rapid; choice of a different antiserum could allow the method to be used for screening for drugs of abuse such as morphine, diamorphine, codeine and dihydrocodeine.