3H and 125I radioimmunoassays of haloperidol compared with fluoroimmunoassay involving antibody coupled to magnetizable solid phase.

Radioimmunoassays for haloperidol are described, involving use of tritium- or 125I-labeled drug or tritium-labeled spiroperidol, and a rabbit antiserum to a drug/bovine serum albumin conjugate. The 125I-labeled drug was prepared by the Chloramine T iodination technique. A fluoroimmunoassay for haloperidol is also described in which the antiserum is coupled to magnetizable solid-phase medium, and fluorescein-labeled haloperidol is used. The assays have acceptable accuracy, precision, and reproducibility, and are specific for haloperidol and similar butyrophenones, with no significant interference from known metabolites and other drugs. Only the radioimmunoassays have sufficient sensitivity to cover the whole range of haloperidol concentrations in serum. The fluoroimmunoassay can be used to monitor high concentrations of haloperidol in 150-microL samples or the complete concentration range of 1-mL serum samples that are extracted and concentrated before assay.