RADIOIMMUNOASSAY FOR PHENCYCLIDINE

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 25  (3) , 547-557
Abstract
A sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay was developed for the drug phencyclidine (PCP). Levels as low as 50 pg (200 femtomol) of PCP can be detected. The specificity of the antisera [formed in rabbits] was investigated by inhibiting the [3H]PCP-anti PCP reaction with the parent drug, metabolites, and other related compounds. Three urinary metabolites, 4-phenyl-4-piperidinocyclohexanol, 1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-4-hydroxypiperidine and 1-phenylcyclohexylamine inhibit 2, 5 and 0.002% as effectively as PCP, respectively. Plasma [human] samples supplemented with PCP (1.2-10,000 ng/ml) can be analyzed directly by this procedure. While the legal use of PCP [1-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)piperidine, Angel Dust] is as an analgesic and anesthetic in veterinary medicine, it has also found increasing popularity among drug users.