Chemistry
Equilibrium Dialysis for Measuring Drug-Protein Binding
Quick fact
Equilibrium dialysis is considered the gold standard for measuring drug-protein binding because it directly determines the unbound (free) drug concentration, the species that is pharmacologically active, with minimal perturbation to the binding equilibrium.
Why this is interesting
When a drug enters your bloodstream, it quickly latches onto proteins, but how do scientists measure this invisible embrace? Equilibrium dialysis is the classic technique that untangles the free from the bound, revealing the true concentration that acts on your body.