| abstract |
Immunoassay methods and reagents for the specific quantification of amitriptyline or nortriptyline in a test sample are disclosed employing antibodies prepared with amitriptyline or nortriptyline derivatives of the Formula III: ##STR1## wherein for amitriptyline, R is CH 3 , and for nortriptyline, R is H. The present invention also describes the synthesis of unique fluorescein tracers of the structure of Formula IV and Formula V: ##STR2## wherein for a specific amitriptyline immunoassay, W 1 is a heteroatom linked to the aromatic ring at the 2 or 3 position, and for a specific nortriptyline immunoassay, W 2 is two heteroatoms linked together and attached to the aromatic ring at the 2 or 3 position, and wherein Q is a detectable moiety, preferably fluorescein or a fluorescein derivative. |