A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to quantitate acyclovir and BW B759U in human plasma and urine.

A simple and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection and quantitation of acyclovir in human plasma and urine was developed. Acyclovir immobilized on a solid phase and free acyclovir in the sample solution were allowed to compete for a limited amount of anti-acyclovir monoclonal antibody. The specific antibody bound to the immobilized acyclovir was detected by the use of alkaline phosphatase-conjugated anti-mouse immunoglobulin. The resulting enzyme activity was inversely related to acyclovir concentration in the sample. The Hill plot of standard acyclovir concentrations was linear over a 100-fold concentration range, with a lower detection limit of 0.2 nM and a concentration of soluble ligand displacing 50% of available antibody of approximately 1 nM. The metabolites of acyclovir cross-reacted minimally, and there was no detectable interference by various unrelated compounds tested in the assay. However, BW B759U [9-(2-hydroxy-1-hydroxymethylethoxy)methylguanine], a congener of acyclovir, cross-reacted significantly. As a consequence, the assay was found useful in measuring the concentrations of BW B759U in clinical samples devoid of acyclovir.