Synthesis of three-dimensional nickel ferrite nanospheres decorated activated graphite nanoplatelets for electrochemical detection of vortioxetine with pharmacokinetic insights in human volunteers

Green synthesis of Au@g-C3N4 nanocomposite using Hyssopus officinalis extract and its sensing application for vortioxetine determination

Herein, we introduce a stable and green Au@g-C3N4 nanocomposite as a selective electrochemical sensor for vortioxetine (VOR) determination. The electrochemical behavior of VOR on the developed electrode was investigated through cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry. The Au@g-C3N4 nanocomposite was thoroughly observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The Au@g-C3N4 nanocomposite had a higher conductivity and a narrower band gap than pure g-C3N4, causing higher electrochemical activity for VOR detection. Moreover, Au@g-C3N4 on the glassy carbon electrode (Au@g-C3N4/GCE) monitored a low level of VOR with high efficiency and low interference as an environmentally friendly processing approach. Interestingly, the as-fabricated sensor exhibited an ultrahigh selectivity for recognizing VOR with a detection limit (LOD) of 3.2 nM. Furthermore, the developed sensor was applied to determine VOR in pharmaceutical and biological samples, which indicated a high selectivity in the presence of interferences. This study suggests new insights into the phytosynthesis synthesis of nanomaterials with excellent biosensing applications.

Use of Hierarchical Carbon Nanofibers Decorated with NiCo Nanoparticles for Highly Sensitive Vortioxetine Determination

A new voltammetry method for the highly sensitive antidepressant drug vortioxetine (VOR) is presented using glassy carbon electrodes modified with hierarchical carbon nanofibers with NiCo nanoparticles (eCNF/CNT/NiCo-GCE). The electrochemical behavior of VOR was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, which indicates that its oxidation is an adsorption-controlled process with the exchange of two electrons and one proton. The effects of various factors on the VOR peak, such as supporting electrolyte type, preconcentration time, and potential, or influence of interferents, were tested using the square wave voltammetry technique (SWV). The linear voltametric response for the analyte was obtained in the concentration range from 0.01·10^-6 to 3.0·10^-6 mol L^-1 with the detection limit of 1.55·10^-9 mol L^-1 for a preconcentration time of 60 s. The proposed method was successfully applied for highly sensitive VOR determination in complex matrices such as tablets, urine, and plasma with good recovery parameter.

Nickel -doped iron oxide nanoparticle-conjugated porphyrin interface (porphyrin/Fe2O3@Ni) for the non-enzymatic detection of dopamine from lacrimal fluid

Herein, we synthesized nickel (Ni)-doped iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe₂O₃). The presence of the dopant afforded anchoring sites for the porphyrinic hetero cavity of 5,10,15,20-(tetra-4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin to produce the porphyrin/Fe₂O₃@Ni composite. The crystalline structure and morphology of porphyrin/Fe₂O₃@Ni were assessed using various tools including Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Porphyrin/Fe₂O₃@Ni has proven to be an excellent dopamine (DA) probe material with good selectivity, reproducibility, stability and reliability owing to its clever morphology, which induces numerous active sites along with good active surface area. It consequently provides good accessibility to DA and allows for the smooth tunneling of electrons between the analyte and sensing interface. Meanwhile, the porphyrin molecules provide good carbon-based resilient support, inhibit the leaching of the electrode matrix and enhance electron shuttling, resulting in the robust oxidation of DA with amplified transduction signals. The designed porphyrin/Fe₂O₃@Ni interface showed a low detection limit (1.2 nm) with good sensitivity (1.2 nM) in the linear bounds of 10 μM to 3500 μM. Additionally, the interface was employed successfully to analyze DA from lacrimal fluid with good percentage recoveries (99.8% to 100.1%). We anticipate that such a design will simplify the in vitro screening of DA in rarely studied tear samples with sensitivity and selectivity.

Development of the Validated Stability-Indicating Method for the Determination of Vortioxetine in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Formulation by HPLC-DAD, Stress Degradation Kinetics Studies and Detection of Degradation Products by LC-ESI-QTOF-MS

Vortioxetine (VOR) is a new antidepressant drug used to treat major depressive disorder. In this work, a novel, simple, rapid, accurate, precise, selective, stability-indicating, and fully validated high-performance liquid chromatography method with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) was developed to determine VOR in bulk and pharmaceutical formulations. A Polar-RP column was used, with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (ACN), methanol (MeOH), acetate buffer pH 3.5, and addition of diethylamine (DEA) in the isocratic elution mode. Assessing the stability of the VOR is fundamental to guarantee the efficacy, safety, and quality of drug products. In this study, the VOR active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and tablets were subjected to a detailed study of forced degradation, using several degrading agents (acid, alkaline, water, heat, light, and oxidation agents). The developed HPLC-DAD method allows the collection of all the essential data to determine degradation kinetics. It was found that the decomposition of vortioxetine is fragile towards oxidative conditions and photolysis, yielding the first-order and second-order kinetic reaction in the above stress conditions, respectively. The degradation products (DPs) were identified by the high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QTOF-MS) method. The HPLC-DAD method was successfully applied for the quantification of VOR in tablets. Additionally, in silico toxicity prediction of the DPs was performed.

Insight into prognostics, diagnostics, and management strategies for SARS CoV-2

The foremost challenge in countering infectious diseases is the shortage of effective therapeutics. The emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak has posed a great menace to the public health system globally, prompting unprecedented endeavors to contain the virus. Many countries have organized research programs for therapeutics and management development. However, the longstanding process has forced authorities to implement widespread infrastructures for detailed prognostic and diagnostics study of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS CoV-2). This review discussed nearly all the globally developed diagnostic methodologies reported for SARS CoV-2 detection. We have highlighted in detail the approaches for evaluating COVID-19 biomarkers along with the most employed nucleic acid- and protein-based detection methodologies and the causes of their severe downfall and rejection. As the variable variants of SARS CoV-2 came into the picture, we captured the breadth of newly integrated digital sensing prototypes comprised of plasmonic and field-effect transistor-based sensors along with commercially available food and drug administration (FDA) approved detection kits. However, more efforts are required to exploit the available resources to manufacture cheap and robust diagnostic methodologies. Likewise, the visualization and characterization tools along with the current challenges associated with waste-water surveillance, food security, contact tracing, and their role during this intense period of the pandemic have also been discussed. We expect that the integrated data will be supportive and aid in the evaluation of sensing technologies not only in current but also future pandemics.