Chinese Journal of Applied Chemistry ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 518-526.DOI: 10.19894/j.issn.1000-0518.220397

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A Novel Electrochemical Method for Berberine Detection in Biological Fluids

Rui ZHOU, Zi-Pin ZHANG()   

  1. School of Pharmacy,Anhui University of Chinese Medicine,Hefei 230012,China
  • Received:2022-12-09 Accepted:2023-03-07 Published:2023-04-01 Online:2023-04-17
  • Contact: Zi-Pin ZHANG
  • About author:zpzhang@ahtcm.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the Natural Science Foundation of Anhui Province of China(2008085MH293);Anhui Province Foundation for the Returned Scholars (No.19) and Key Project of Research Foundation of Education Commission of Anhui Province(2022AH050459)

Abstract:

Selective electrochemical detection of berberine in biological fluids is challenging due tothe high overpotential for berberine electrooxidation (>1.1 V vs.Ag/AgCl). By taking advantage of the non-covalent interactions between bromothymol blue (BTB) and berberine, and the reversible and low-potential electrochemical redox properties of polymerized BTB (poly-BTB), we report a new electrochemical method for berberine detection using poly-BTB as both the recognition unit for berberine and electrochemical probe, in which poly-BTB is generated by electropolymerization of BTB immobilized onto the GC electrode surface via single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The strong affinity of poly-BTB toward berberine leads to the binding of berberine onto the electrode surface and consequently causes the decrement in the peak current of poly-BTB/SWNTs-modified electrode upon berberine being introduced, which validates berberine detection using the current decrease of the poly-BTB/SWNTs/GC electrode as the signal readout. Under the optimized conditions, the method shows linear concentration of berberine in the range of 0.05~1 μmol/L and 1~100 μmol/L with a detection limit of 0.022 μmol/L based on 3σ. As for the animal experiments, the electrochemical method has been demonstrated to be selective and effective for berberine level qualification in rat plasma and liver homogenates. This study offers a facile electrochemical method for berberine detection in biological fluids with less technical demanding and simple operating procedures, which holds a great promise for more applications in physiological and pathological researches associated with berberine.

Key words: Berberine, Bromothymol blue, Noncovalent interaction, Electrochemical method

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