Determination of dihydroergot alkaloids in serum by radioimmunoassay.

A radioimmunoassay for dihydroergotoxine was developed using antiserum frm the rabbit injected with a dihydromethylergometrine-bovine serum albumin conjugate. The antiserum was found to be highly specific to dihydroergot alkaloids. The minimum detectable amount of dihydroergotoxine methanesulfonate with this assay system was about 100 pg/ml in serum. Practical applicability of the assay system was proved by measuring dog serum concentrations after oral administration of dihydroergotoxine methanesulfonate.