Immunoassays of psychoactive drugs including psychotomimetic drugs, narcotic drugs, and tetrahydrocannabinols and treatment methods based on the antigenic properties of protein conjugates of these drugs. These methods are based upon treating the psychoactive substances as haptens and utilizing their protein conjugates to produce antibodies to the psychoactive materials themselves. The immunoassay methods include both agglutination and agglutination-inhibition reactions. The treatment methods include treatment of both exogenous, administered drugs (such as cannabinols, LSD, heroin and morphine) and endogenous substances (such as N,N-Dimethyltryptamine and 5-Methoxy-N,N-Dimethyltryptamine), by active immunization and also passive immunization including immunodialysis and immunoadsorption treatment methods. Devices are disclosed for carrying out the immunodialysis and immunoadsorption methods.

Claims

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an antigen in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal an antigen-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an antibody to said antigen in said device; and exposure means in said device for exposing said antigen to said antibody and for preventing said antibody from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a semipermeable membrane separating said device into a first chamber and a second chamber, and wherein said first chamber is connected in said blood circulatory system and said antibody is contained in said second chamber.

2. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an antigen in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal an antigen-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an antibody to said antigen in said device; and exposure means in said device for exposing said antigen to said antibody and for preventing said antibody from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a synthetic polymer matrix in said device, said antibody being linked chemically to said synthetic polymer matrix.

3. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an antibody in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal an antibody-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a binding species in said device, said binding species being chosen from the group consisting of haptens and antigens which react specifically with said antibody; and exposure means in said device for exposing said antibody to said binding species and for preventing said binding species from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a semipermeable membrane separating said device into a first chamber and a second chamber, and wherein said first chamber is connected in said blood circulatory system and said binding species is contained in said second chamber.

4. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an antibody in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal an antibody-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a binding species in said device, said binding species being chosen from the group consisting of haptens and antigens which react specifically with said antibody; and exposure means in said device for exposing said antibody to said blinding species and for preventing said binding species from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a synthetic polymer matrix in said device, said binding species being linked chemically to said synthetic polymer matrix.

5. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal a hapten in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a hapten-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an antibody to said hapten in said device; and exposure means in said device for exposing said hapten to said antibody and for preventing said antibody from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a semipermeable membrane separating said device into a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber being connected in said blood circulatory system and said antibody being contained in said second chamber.

6. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal a hapten in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a hapten-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an antibody to said hapten in said device; and exposure means in said device for exposing said hapten to said antibody and for preventing said antibody from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a synthetic polymer matrix in said device, said antibody being linked chemically to said synthetic polymer matrix.

7. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an immunological binding means in said device which will interact and bind with said immunoreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means for entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a semipermeable membrane separating said device into a first chamber and a second chamber, and wherein said first chamber is connected in said blood circulatory system and said immunological binding means is contained in said second chamber.

8. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an immunological binding means in said device which will interact and bind with said immunoreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means for entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a synthetic polymer matrix in said device, said immunological binding means being linked chemically to said synthetic polymer matrix.

9. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a macromolecular binding means in said device which will preferentially interact and bind with said species; and synthetic polymer matrix means in said device, said macromolecular bindng means being chemically linked to said synthetic polymer matrix means for exposing said species to said macromolecular binding means and for preventing said binding means for entering said circulatory system.

10. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising a semipermeable membrane separating said device into a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber being connected in said blood circulatory system, and macromolecular binding means in said second chamber, said semipermeable membrane being permeable to said species, said binding means preferentially interacting and binding with said species.

11. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an immunological binding means in said device which will interact and bind with said immunoreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a matrix in said device, said immunological binding means being linked to said matrix, said device comprising a length of plastic tubing, and said matrix comprising at least a part of the inner wall of said length of tubing.

12. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; and immunological binding means in said device which will interact and bind with said immunoreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a matrix in said device, said immunological binding means being linked to said matrix, said matrix comprising spiral structure means.

13. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an immunological binding means in said device which will interact and bind with said immunoreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means from entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a matrix in said device, said immunological binding means being linked to said matrix, said matrix comprising a fill of plastic beads in said device.

14. An immunological method for removing from a living mammal an immunoreactive species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; an immunological binding means in said device which will interact and binding with said immunreactive species; and exposure means in said device for exposing said immunoreactive species to said immunological binding means and for preventing said immunological binding means for entering said circulatory system, said exposure means comprising a honeycomb, open porosity, matrix in said device, said immunological binding means being linked to said matrix.

15. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a macromolecular binding means in said device which will preferentially interact and bind with said species; and matrix means in said device, said macromolecular binding means being chemically linked to said matrix means for exposing said species to said macromolecular binding means and for preventing said binding means from entering said circulatory system, said device comprising a length of plastic tubing, and said matrix means comprising at least a part of the inner wall of said length of tubing.

16. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a macromolecular binding means in said device which will preferentially interact and bind with said species; and matrix means in said device, said macromolecular binding means being chemically linked to said matrix means for exposing said species to said macromolecular binding means and for preventing said binding means from entering said circulatory system, said matrix means comprising spiral structure means.

17. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a macromolecular binding means in said device which will preferentially interact and bind with said species; and matrix means in said device, said macromolecular binding means being chemically linked to said matrix means for exposing said species to said macromolecular binding means and for preventing said binding means from entering said circulatory system, said matrix means comprising a fill of plastic beads in said device.

18. A method for removing from a living mammal a species in the blood of said mammal, comprising connecting in the blood circulatory system of said mammal a species-removing device, said device comprising passage means for said blood; a macromolecular binding means in said device which will preferential interact and bind with said species; and honeycomb, open porosity, matrix means in said device, said macromolecular binding means being chemically linked to said matrix means for exposing said species to said macromolecular binding means and for preventing said binding means from entering said circulatory system.

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