Affinity Chromatography Method for Determination of Binding of Drugs to Melanin and Evaluation of Side Effect Potential of Antipsychotic Agents

The extrapyramidal side effect parameters of typical and atypical antypsychotics were correlated with affinity chromatographic data determined on the melanin-based column. The chromatographic study was performed according to the hypothesis that extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) as side effects of the use of antipsychotic drugs at clinically effective doses are correlated to the affinity of these drugs to neuromelanin. For that aim the polymerization product of L-DOPA (melanin) was immobilized onto aminopropyl silica and the binding efficiency of melanin towards antipsychotics has been determined. The results indicate that melanin based-column can be used to evaluate the risk of EPS of drug candidates to antipsychotic drug therapy.