Monitoring Drug in Blood Using Magnetic Nanosystem

Gemcitabine is used to treat pancreatic cancer. However, the oral dose of the drug is modified when it enters the bloodstream and the serum concentrations achieved may not be adequate for the intended action. How can we measure gemcitabine in blood to adjust the dosage? Researchers from the National Institute of Technology, Warangal and Syngene International Ltd, Bengaluru joined hands to design a material to adsorb gemcitabine from patient blood samples. Their strategy was to use magnetic nanomaterials modified with molecules having a large surface area and properties to attract and hold the hydrophobic drug. Adding ferric chloride solution at high temperature and pressure to graphene oxide, they made magnetic oxide graphene sheets, easy to separate from serum using the magnetic field. The researchers functionalized the magnetic graphene oxide sheets with round calixarene, macrocyclic molecules with hydrophobic interior and calixlike hydrophilic exterior. They selected a calixarene with six petal-like hydrophilic parts. From the structure of gemcitabine, the hydrophobic central part would act like a bucket to hold gemcitabine, they reasoned. The researchers tested their material. After the blood samples were deproteinized and centrifuged, they used the magnetic graphene oxide-calixarene adsorbent nanosystem to trap gemcitabine molecules. They validated this method of sample preparation using high performance liquid chromatography analysis. This method was capable of detecting gemcitabine at concentrations as low as 2 nanograms per millilitre. Accurate quantification was possible for concentrations of up to 13 nanograms per millilitre. Moreover, the material is reusable, say the researchers. They used ethyl acetate as an effluent to remove gemcitabine from the adsorbent. More than 97% of the adsorbent was recoverable for reuse. The same material could be reused at least six times. The method cuts down the costs of pharmacokinetic studies of gemcitabine besides being convenient, quick, reusable and eco-friendly. DOI: 10.1080/01496395.2023.2201392

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CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 124, NO. 10, 25 MAY 2023