Sensitive radioimmunoassay for digoxin in plasma and urine

A reproducible and sensitive radioimmunoassay for digoxin in either serum, plasma or urine is described. Using 0.5 ml of serum or plasma, the assay sensitivity is 0.05 ng of digoxin/ml. The antiserum and tracer solutions employed are available in a kit sold in the United States. All other reagents were prepared in the laboratory. The assay allows measurement of digoxin in plasma or serum for 96 hours after single 0.5 mg doses of digoxin; this is necessary in human bioavailability studies to accurately estimate the total area under the digoxin concentration, time curve from zero to infinite time. In contrast, with the kit assay, employing 0.2 ml of plasma or serum, it has been reported that the 12 hr serum digoxin levels, after single 0.5 mg doses, are, in most subjects, below the sensitivity limit (about 0.5 ng/ml) of the assay.