Berberine derivatives as heteroatom induced hydrophobic sensor: An analytical approach for the selective and sensitive fluorometric detection and discrimination of serum albumins

Abstract

The detection and discrimination of serum albumins (SAs) has been transforming as a research work of keen interest to the scientists in recent times. This is in the root of foundation of more and more fluorescent probes to selectively identify and distinguish the SAs in the modern era of research. Fluorescence based sensors are preferably on high demand because of high sensitivity of fluorescence spectroscopy. Herein we have synthesized berberine derivatives with substitutions at two different positions (9 and 13) with the purpose of an analytical study to detect and differentiate the SAs. It was found that only the 9-O substituted derivatives showed a dramatic enhancement in their inherently weak fluorescence intensity after the addition of serum albumins (BSA and HSA) indicating the occurrence of heteroatom induced hydrophobic binding interaction. Lower value of detection limit, 6.8 nM and 6.1 nM for BSA and 17.8 nM and 16.3 nM for HSA respectively for the two compounds N1 and N2 and extended range of linearity for both the probes justify the fruitfulness of the research work. Moreover, the two effective 9-O substituted probes response differently in presence of the two SAs by the nature, intensity of the fluorescence spectra and position of wavelength maxima which enable us in deciphering the two essential proteins. All the results reveal how the presence of a heteroatom influences the hydrophobic sensing of the SAs and divulge the utility of the synthesized berberine derivatives in detection and distinction of two SAs successfully in the coming years.