Preparation of specific antisera to digoxin by using digoxin C-3' and C-3" hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin conjugates.

The preparation and antigenic properties of digoxin C-3' and C-3" hemisuccinate-bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugates are described. The antisera were prepared by immunizing rabbits with each of the digoxin-BSA conjugates, and properties of the antisera were characterized by RIA with 3H-labeled digoxin. The antidigoxin antiserum from immunization with digoxin 3'-hemisuccinate-BSA conjugate possessed high specificity for digoxin, exhibiting fairly low cross-reactions with dihydrodigoxin (2.1%), digoxigenin monodigitoxoside (0.9%), digoxigenin bisdigitoxoside (0.6%), and digoxigenin (0.1%).