Recently, researchers have created a novel, reasonably priced, and easily transportable smartphone-based sensor system intended to help with Parkinson’s disease management. The precise measurement of L-dopa concentration in biological fluids is made possible by this new sensor, which makes use of a fluorescence turn-on mechanism. This is an essential tool for managing diseases.
The progressive loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain is a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. Patients are frequently prescribed L-dopa, a precursor that the body transforms into dopamine, to control this illness. Adequate administration of L-dopa is crucial as it aids in making up for the decrease in dopamine levels. As Parkinson’s disease advances, patients might need higher doses of L-dopa; however, it’s important to balance the dosage because too much can have serious side effects like dyskinesia, gastritis, psychosis, paranoia, and orthostatic hypotension, while too little can bring back symptoms.
Considering the significance of preserving appropriate L-dopa levels, the creation of a dependable, user-friendly, and economical monitoring technique is imperative. In response to this need, scientists at the Department of Science and Technology’s autonomous Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) have developed a transportable optical sensor system based on fluorescence.
The sensor uses a fluorescence turn-on mechanism to monitor L-dopa concentrations and runs on a smartphone platform. It uses a new sensor that is created by covering reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles with a silk-fibroin protein nano-layer that is generated from Bombyx mori silk cocoons. This combination creates quantum dots based on core-shell graphene that exhibit remarkable photoluminescence characteristics, allowing for efficient fluorescence detection of L-dopa. With detection limits as low as 95.14 nM, 93.81 nM, and 104.04 nM, respectively, the sensor can reliably identify L-dopa in blood plasma, sweat, and urine within a concentration range of 5 μM to 35 μM.
The gadget has an electric circuit that is linked to a 365 nm LED and is charged by a conventional 5V smartphone charger in order to operate the sensor. In order to protect the sensor from outside light influence, it is installed in a dark chamber. The procedure is shining the LED light on the sensor probe and taking pictures of the color shifts with the camera of a smartphone. Using a smartphone app, the color changes are examined through RGB values and converted into measures of L-dopa concentration.
This smartphone-based method provides a useful way to monitor L-dopa levels immediately, especially in isolated locations without access to sophisticated lab equipment. The sensor aids in more precise dosage adjustments, which enhances patient outcomes and disease management by giving real-time feedback on L-dopa concentrations.
SOURCE :
ET HEALTHWORLD
