Antibodies as a means of isolating and characterizing biologically active substances: presence of a non-peptide, morphine-like compound in the central nervous system.

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Abstract
Antibodies generated against small MW substances such as drugs are being used to isolate and characterize biologically active agonists. A morphine-like compound can be extracted from brain of various species [e.g., rabbit and cat] which has determinant groups that are recognized by specific morphine [rabbit] antibodies. It has a regional distribution which can be quantitated as immuno-equivalents. Immunological, chemical and chromatographic tests show great similarities of the compound to morphine. This morphine-like compound has biological activity as it inhibits the electrically induced contractions of the guinea pig ileum and mouse vas deferens, but the inhibition is not reversed by naloxone or naltrexone.