Critical antigenic determinants for production of antibody to distinguish morphine from heroin, codeine and dextromethorphan

Abstract Azomorphine products were synthesized and structures determined. A purified derivative was condensed with keyhole limpet hemocyanin and rabbit antisera generated. IgG was purified by Cellex azomorphine. Quantitative inhibition of morphine azobenzoic acid quenching of antibody fluorescence was shown by increasing concentrations of native morphine but not its surrogates. These results were confirmed by radioimmune assay experiments in which methadone and dextromethorphan were essentially unrecognized by crude morphine antisera regardles of hapten concentrations.