ENZYME IMMUNOASSAYS FOR BROMOCRIPTINE AND ITS METABOLITES

We have developed two bromocriptine enzyme immunoassays with different specificities for applications in human and animal pharmacokinetic st udies. The first assay uses antibodies directed against the cyclopepti de stucture of bromocriptine, and is specific for untransformed bromoc riptine. The second assay uses antibodies directed against the bromoly sergic part of the molecule and allows the measurement of both bromocr iptine and its metabolites. Enzymatic tracers were obtained by covalen t coupling of bromocriptine analogs to acetylcholinesterase from the e lectric eel Electrophorus electricus. Both assays have a limit of dete ction of 10 pg/ml and a limit of quantification of 50 pg/ml. The speci ficity of the assays was determined following fractionation by high-pe rformance liquid chromatography of rat samples obtained after administ ration of bromocriptine.