Synthesis of amine-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube/3D rose flower-like zinc oxide nanocomposite for sensitive electrochemical detection of flavonoid morin

Experimental and computational study on morin and its complexes with Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, and Al3+: Coordination and antioxidant properties

Morin (MRN), an intriguing bioflavonol, has received increasing interest for its antioxidant properties, as have its metal complexes (Mz+-MRN). Understanding their antioxidant behavior is critical to assess their pharmaceutical, nutraceutical potential, and therapeutic impact in the design of advanced antioxidant drugs. To this end, knowing the speciation of different H+-MRN and Mz+-MRN is pivotal to understand and compare their antioxidant ability. In this work, the protonation constant values of MRN under physiological ionic strength and temperature conditions (I = 0.15 mol L-1 and t = 37 °C), determined by UV-vis spectrophotometric titrations, are introduced. Thus, a reliable speciation model on H+-MRN species in aqueous solution is presented, which exhibits five stable forms depending on pH, supplemented by quantum-mechanical calculations useful to determine the proton affinities of each functional group and corresponding deprotonation order. Furthermore, potentiometry and UV-vis spectrophotometry have been exploited to determine the thermodynamic interaction parameters of MRN with different metal cations (Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Al3+). The antioxidant ability of H+-MRN and Mz+-MRN has been evaluated by the 2,2'-diphenyl-1-benzopyran-4-one (DPPH) method, and the Zn2+-MRN system has proven to afford the most potent antioxidant effect. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of Mz+-MRN species at all possible chelation sites and under explicit water solvation allowed for the fine characterization not only of the metal chelation modalities of MRN in explicit water, but also of the role played by the local water environment around the metal cations. Those microscopic patterns reveal to be informative on the different antioxidant capabilities recorded experimentally.

Fabrication of nitrogen-carbon mediated γ-Mo2N nanocomposite based electrochemical sensor for rapid and sensitive determination of antioxidant 6-PPD in the environment

The rapid and sensitive determination of antioxidant N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-henylenediamine (6-PPD) in the environment is crucial for early intervention to prevent its adverse effects. Here, a reliable electrochemical sensor based on a N-C mediated γ-Mo2N nanocomposite (γ-Mo2N@N-C) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was developed and applied for selective and sensitive determination of 6-PPD. Benefiting from the superior stability and faster electron diffusion coefficient, the peak current responded to 6-PPD on the sensor linearly over a concentration range from 5 × 10-8 mol L-1 to 1.0 × 10-5 mol L-1 with a detection limit of 1.67 × 10-8 mol L-1 (4.48 ng mL-1). Moreover, the sensor maintained good anti-interference ability in the determination of 6-PPD in soil samples from different regions in Zhengzhou City. Furthermore, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with kinetics analysis proved that the enhanced basicity of the γ-Mo2N@N-C facilitated the deprotonation of 6-PPD, with the preferred orientation facet of (200) in γ-Mo2N playing a vital role in inducing the dissociation of 6-PPD, thereby improving the sensor's response. Such an electrochemical sensor, with its good stability and superior sensitivity, has the potential to be applied for real-time evaluation and monitoring of environmental pollutants.

Electrochemistry of Flavonoids: A Comprehensive Review

Flavonoids represent a large group of aromatic amino acids that are extensively disseminated in plants. More than six thousand different flavonoids have been isolated and identified. They are important components of the human diet, presenting a broad spectrum of health benefits, including antibacterial, antiviral, antimicrobial, antineoplastic, anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, immunomodulatory, vasodilatory and cardioprotective properties. They are now considered indispensable compounds in the healthcare, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biotechnology industries. All flavonoids are electroactive, and a relationship between their electron-transfer properties and radical-scavenging activity has been highlighted. This review seeks to provide a comprehensive overview concerning the electron-transfer reactions in flavonoids, from the point of view of their in-vitro antioxidant mode of action. Flavonoid redox behavior is related to the oxidation of the phenolic hydroxy groups present in their structures. The fundamental principles concerning the redox behavior of flavonoids will be described, and the phenol moiety oxidation pathways and the effect of substituents and experimental conditions on flavonoid electrochemical behavior will be discussed. The final sections will focus on the electroanalysis of flavonoids in natural products and their identification in highly complex matrixes, such as fruits, vegetables, beverages, food supplements, pharmaceutical compounds and human body fluids, relevant for food quality control, nutrition, and healthcare research.

Electrocatalytic Platform Based on Silver-Doped Sugar Apple-like Cupric Oxide Embedded Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Nanomolar Detection of Acetaminophen (APAP)

Economical and nanomolar-level determination of the analgesic drug, acetaminophen (APAP), is reported in this work. A novel ternary nanocomposite based on silver-doped sugar apple-like cupric oxide (CuO)-decorated amine-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (fCNTs) was sonochemically prepared. CuO nanoparticles were synthesized based on the ascorbic acid-mediated low-temperature method, and sidewall functionalization of CNTs was carried out. Important characterizations of the synthesized materials were analyzed using SEM, TEM, HAADF-STEM, elemental mapping, EDX, lattice fringes, SAED pattern, XRD, EIS, UV-Vis, micro-Raman spectroscopy, and FTIR. It was noted the sonochemically prepared nanocomposite diligently fabricated on screen-printed carbon electrode showcased outstanding electrocatalytic performance towards APAP determination. The APAP sensor exhibited ultra-low limit of detection of 4 nM, wide linear concentration ranges of 0.02-3.77 and 3.77-90.02 μM, and high sensitivity of 30.45 μA μM^-1 cm^-2. Moreover, further evaluation of the sensor's performance based on electrochemical experiments showcased outstanding selectivity, stability, reproducibility, and repeatability. Further, excellent practical feasibility of the proposed APAP sensor was affirmed with excellent recovery larger than 96.86% and a maximum RSD of 3.67%.

Electrochemical Determination of Morin in Natural Food Using a Chitosan-Graphene Glassy Carbon Modified Electrode

This report presents a new application for the chitosan-graphene glassy carbon electrode (Ch-G/GCE) system in the determination of the hydroxyflavonoid morin (MR), one of the flavonoids with the highest favorable activity for people, due to its natural properties by square-wave voltammetry (SWV). The anodic peak current for MR was observed at 0.50 V with an increase of 73% compared with the glassy carbon electrode unmodified. The surface areas of Ch-G/GCE, Ch/GCE and GCE evaluated by cyclic voltammetry were 0.140, 0.053 and 0.011 cm², respectively. Additionally, an increase greater than 100% compared to the electrode without modification was observed. The detection limit was 0.30 µmol/L for MR, and the relative standard deviations (RSDs) were 1.8% (n = 6). Possible interferences as quercetin, rutin, and applications in real samples were also evaluated with very acceptable results.

A Three-Reagent “Green” Paper-Based Analytical Device for Solid-Phase Spectrometric and Colorimetric Determination of Dihydroquercetin

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) represent one of the promising green analytical strategies for low-cost and simple determination of various analytes. The actual task is the development of such devices for quantitation of antioxidants, e.g., flavonoids. In this paper, possibilities of a novel three-reagent µPAD including silver nitrate, 4-nitrophenyldiazonium tetrafluoroborate, and iron(III) chloride as reagents are assessed with respect to the determination of dihydroquercetin. It is shown that all the three reagents produce different colorimetric responses that can be detected by a mini-spectrophotometer–monitor calibrator or by a smartphone. The method is applicable to direct measuring high contents of dihydroquercetin (the linearity range is 0.026–1 mg mL⁻¹, and the limit of detection is 7.7 µg mL⁻¹), which is favorable for many dietary supplements. The analysis of a food supplement was possible with the relative standard deviations of 9–26%, which is satisfactory for quantitative and semiquantitative determinations. It was found that plotting a calibration graph in 3D space of the three reagents’ responses allows us to distinguish dihydroquercetin from its close structural analogue, quercetin.

Comparative investigation of bioflavonoid electrocatalysis in 1D, 2D, and 3D carbon nanomaterials for simultaneous detection of naringin and hesperidin in fruits

Electrocatalysis of bioflavonoids in carbon nanomaterials plays an important role in electrochemical sensors for the detection of their content in fruits. In this study, three types of carbon nanomaterials with 1D, 2D, and 3D structures, namely carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxide (GO), and Ketjen black (KB), were modified onto glassy carbon electrodes for the electrocatalysis of hesperidin and naringin, which are two important bioflavonoids in fruits. As a result, the CNT-modified electrodes showed the highest electrocatalytic activity for both hesperidin and naringin compared to GO and KB. The morphology and surface chemistry of the carbon nanomaterials were characterized. The structural defects and carbon status of carbon nanomaterials are proposed to be the most important factors affecting the electrocatalysis of hesperidin and naringin. Finally, a CNT-based electrochemical sensor was fabricated to simultaneously detect hesperidin and naringin. Real sample tests on the fruit extract of Citrus grandis "Tomentosa" show that the proposed electrochemical sensors with high recovery thus could be employed in practical applications.

Facile synthesis of multifunctional carbon dots with 54.4% orange emission for label-free detection of morin and endogenous/exogenous hypochlorite

Carbon dots with long-wavelength emission (orange to red), high quantum yield (QY) and good biocompatibility are of great significance for biomedical applications, but achieving this is still a highly challenging task. In this work, multifunctional carbon dots with 54.4% orange emission (O-CDs) were prepared through one-pot solvothermal treatment of nileblueasulphate and citric acid as precursor for label-free recognition of morin and endogenous/exogenous hypochlorite (ClO^-) and bioimaging in cellular and zebrafish. Morin can quench the luminescence of O-CDs by static quenching (SQ). The linear range is 5-125 μM and LOD is 0.84 μM. ClO^- reduce the photoluminescence intensity of O-CDs via SQ. The linear range is 2.5-90 μM and LOD was 0.46 μM. In addition, The obtained O-CDs have successfully realized the monitoring of morin and endogenous/ exogenous ClO^- in living cells and zebrafish owing to its superior biocompatibility, exceptional photostability and lower toxicity. This work opens up a novel opportunity for the development of long-wavelength emission multifunctional nanomaterial with high quantum yield based on CDs for biosensing, biolabeling and biomedical optical imaging.

A Comprehensive Review on the Electrochemical Sensing of Flavonoids

Flavonoids are bioactive polyphenolic compounds, widespread in the plant kingdom. Flavonoids possess broad-spectrum pharmacological effects due to their antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-neoplastic, anti-mutagenic, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, immunomodulatory, and vasodilatory properties. Care must be taken, since excessive consumption of flavonoids may have adverse effects. Therefore, proper identification, quantification and quality evaluations of flavonoids in edible samples are necessary. Electroanalytical approaches have gained much interest for the analysis of redox behavior and quantification of different flavonoids. Compared to various conventional methods, electrochemical techniques for the analysis of flavonoids offer advantages of high sensitivity, selectivity, low cost, simplicity, biocompatibility, easy on-site evaluation, high accuracy, reproducibility, wide linearity of detection, and low detection limits. This review article focuses on the developments in electrochemical sensing of different flavonoids with emphasis on electrode modification strategies to boost the electrocatalytic activity and analytical efficiency.

Carbon dots for ratiometric fluorescence detection of morin

The B,N dual-doped carbon dots (B,N-CDs) for ratiometric fluorescence detection the morin were prepared from sodium tetraborate and polyethyleneimine through the single-step hydrothermal method. The B,N-CDs exhibited the optimum excitation and emission wavelength at 340 nm and 467 nm, respectively. Interestingly, the intensities of emission peak at 467 nm of B,N-CDs reduced meanwhile a new peak emerged at 560 nm with the continuous addition of morin, which revealed the ratio fluorescence characteristic between F_560nm/F_467nm and morin concentration with the linearity range and detection limit of 14.5-32.5 μmol/L and 0.3 μmol/L (S/N = 3), respectively. The interference of common antibiotics and remedies could be ignored when the concentration of morin was detected by the B,N-CDs, which demonstrating the outstanding selectivity. Furthermore, the proposed fluorescence method is used to detect morin in urine with recoveries are 99.8-104.5%. The results of this research indicate the feasibility and practicality of B,N-CDs as an effective fluorescent probe for the determination of morin.

Development of an electrochemical sensor based on a cobalt oxide/tin oxide composite for determination of antibiotic drug ornidazole

A schematic illustration of the electrochemical performance towards sensing of ODZ at the Co₃O₄/SnO₂/GCE.

Anti-diabetic Effect of Acridocarpus Orientalis

Background:

Acridocarpus orientalis (AO) is a medicinal herb indigenous to tropical and subtropical Africa, Arabian Peninsula, and New Caledonia with reported anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

Objective:

To determine whether AO has any beneficial effects on diabetes-induced metabolic parameters in rats.

Materials and Methods:

Diabetes mellitus was induced in male Wistar rats by streptozotocin. Diabetic rats were treated with three doses of AO extract (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW) for 30 days. Kidney, liver, and pancreatic tissue samples were processed for histopathology to determine the effect of AO on the cells of these organs. The effect of AO on pancreatic islet cells and serum insulin levels was also examined using immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques, respectively.

Results:

AO (100 mg/kg BW) caused a marked reduction in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats compared to diabetic control on day 10 of the study. Moreover, AO (200 mg/kg BW) increased the number of insulin-positive cells with a concomitant reduction in the number of glucagon-immunoreactive cells in pancreatic islets. AO (100 mg/kg) also increased the serum level of superoxide dismutase significantly. Although the administration of AO was able to significantly decrease the diabetes-associated increases in serum creatinine and bilirubin levels, it had no effect on blood urea nitrogen, serum aspartate, or alanine aminotransferase levels. Histopathological examination showed that AO has no toxic effect on the structure of the pancreas, liver, and kidney.

Conclusion:

Our findings showed that AO could alleviate some complications of diabetes mellitus.

Application of micro/nanomaterials in adsorption and sensing of active ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely applied for the prevention and cure of various diseases for centuries. Ingredient with pharmacological activity is the key to the application of TCM. Hence, it is of significance to separate and detect active ingredients in TCM effectively. Micro/nanomaterial is the promising candidate for adsorption and sensing due to its unique physical and chemical properties. For years, many efforts have been made to develop functional micro/nanomaterials to realize the effective adsorption or sensing of bioactive compounds in TCM. In this review, we discussed recent progresses in the application of various functional micro/nanomaterials for adsorption or detection (electrochemical detection, fluorescent detection, and colorimetric detection) of active ingredients. Based on the kind of matrix materials, micro/nano-adsorbents or sensors can be classified into following categories: metal-based micro/nanomaterials, porous materials, carbon-based materials, graphene/graphite-liked micro/nanomaterials and hybrid micro/nanomaterials.

Application of Electrochemical Sensors Based on Carbon Nanomaterials for Detection of Flavonoids

Flavonoids have a variety of physiological activities such as anti-free radicals, regulating hormone levels, antibacterial factors, and anti-cancer factors, which are widely present in edible and medicinal plants. Real-time detection of flavonoids is a key step in the quality control of diverse matrices closely related to social, economic, and health issues. Traditional detection methods are time-consuming and require expensive equipment and complicated working conditions. Therefore, electrochemical sensors with high sensitivity and fast detection speed have aroused extensive research interest. Carbon nanomaterials are preferred material in improving the performance of electrochemical sensing. In this paper, we review the progress of electrochemical sensors based on carbon nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, graphene, carbon and graphene quantum dots, mesoporous carbon, and carbon black for detecting flavonoids in food and drug homologous substances in the last four years. In addition, we look forward to the prospects and challenges of this research field.