Detection of doxorubicin using electrochemical sensor based on silver nanoparticles coated on glassy carbon electrode

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is one of the most common incidences of mortality in the world. The anthracycline antibiotic doxorubicin (DOX) has been used successfully for treating various types of cancers. However, the therapeutic efficacy of DOX was greatly restricted by its cumulative dose-related cardiotoxicity and common side effects such as bone marrow and immunosuppression. Therefore, monitoring the level of this drug in the biological fluids of patients during their therapy period is vital.

Goal: In this research work, an electrochemical sensor was fabricated for the determination of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) in human plasma samples and cancer cells based on silver nanoparticles and chitosan-coated on the glassy carbon electrode.

Methods: A polymeric film of silver nanoparticles and chitosan functionalized (Ag-CS) was deposited on glassy carbon electrode. The electrochemical behavior was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Square wave voltammetry (SWV) that displayed excellent precision selectivity and sensitivity in the detection of DOX in human bio-fluids. Results: The sensor construction steps were approved by Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and electrochemical methods. Under optimized conditions, the Square wave voltammetry (SWV) technique response exhibited a linear relationship between the oxidative peak current and concentration of DOX in the range of 10 nM - 8.6 μM with a low limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 10 nM for untreated human plasma samples. Also, the determination of DOX in B16F10 cell lysates was performed based on the it’s direct electrochemical oxidation on Ag-CS-GCE.

Conclusion: The synergistic influence of silver nanoparticles and chitosan enhances electroactivity and speeds up the electron shift between DOX and the electrode substrates. It is anticipated that this research open a new horizons on the design of new class of electrochemical sensors for determination drugs, and TDM in human bio-fluids.