Iranian Researchers Manage to Use Gold Nanoparticles to Measure Medicine

Iranian researchers succeeded in measuring the amount of NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) by using the catalytic properties of gold nanoparticles stabilized on an electrode bed through a voltametric measurement.

NAC plays an important role in the treatment of syndrome, influenza, hepatitis, and epilepsy. Because of being a strong anti-oxidant, the medicine is also used in the treatment of cancer, cardio-respiratory diseases, viral infection, nervous disorders, and other illnesses. A suitable catalyst is required for the electro-oxidation of this substance.

The test results showed that NAC takes part in Michael's additional reaction with naphthoquinone, and increases the anodic current. The increase in the current is used as a sign for NAC measurement.

Fizzy tablets were used to measure NAC in real samples. The results showed that the suggested method can be used for a voltametric measurement of NAC in medicine samples.

"This project is a fundamental research. The product of this research can be used as an electrochemical sensor in order to measure NAC in the biological and medical samples" said Fereshteh Chekin, one of the researchers.

"The sensor is able to change the oxidation of NAC to 600 mV towards the positive low potential. It also has a desirable selectivity of NAC in the presence of other biological compounds such as tyrosine, lysine, methionine, tryptophan, and glutathione," she added.

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