Measurement of tricyclic antidepressants. I. A review of methodology

Abstract

In this review the authors will discuss the approaches used since 1967, emphasizing specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, precision (reproducibility), expense, convenience, and ease of sample processing. A procedure will be considered specific if drug metabolites do not interfere and if only drugs that have been shown not to interfere with the assay procedure are administered concomitantly. The sensitivity required for the routine analysis of plasma amounts of most tricyclic drugs is approximately 5-10 μg/ml. The assay should be capable of a precision of approximately ±5-10% (CV) over the total concentration range required. A 'rapid' assay is one in which an answer can be given within 24 h of ..