Radioimmunoassay for the quantitative determination of quinine in cultured plant tissues.

The development of a radioimmunossay for the determination of picogram amounts of quinine is described. The antiserum, raised against a conjugate of quinine and bovine serum albumin, is highly specific to the CINCHONA quinoline alkaloids having the 8S configuration and will not cross-react to any detectable extent with the 8R series. Neither will it cross-react with quininone or cinchonidinone, the common 9-keto precursors. Using this assay a number of clones of C. LEDGERIANA have been screened for their quinine content.