Production and Characterization of Antibodies Reactive with Diazepam

Abstract

A sensitive radioimmunoassay was developed for the determination of diazepam. Antisera capable of binding [³H] diazepam were obtained by repeated immunization of rabbits with temazepam (oxydiazepam)-3-hemisuccinate conjugated to bovine serum albumin. The level at least as low as 1 pg of diazepam could be detected by this procedure.The lack of either a methyl group or a keto group at theposition-1 and-2 of a benzodiazepine skeleton markedly decreased the binding affinity for theantibody.