Design of screen-printed potentiometric platform for sensitive determination of mirabegron in spiked human plasma; molecular docking and transducer optimization

Abstract

The integration of molecular modelling simulation and electrochemical sensors is of high interest. Herein, for the first time, a portable solid-contact potentiometric electrode was designed for the sensitive determination of mirabegron (MIR) in human plasma and pharmaceutical formulation. A two-step optimization protocol was investigated for the fabrication of an ion on sensing polymeric membrane. First, molecular docking was used for optimum ionophore selection. Calix[6]arene showed the highest affinity towards MIR with a better docking score (−4.35) and potential energy (−65.23) compared to other calixarene derivatives. Second, carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles were investigated as ion-electron transducers using a drop-casting procedure. Gold nanoparticle-based sensors showed better slope, potential stability, and rapid response compared to carbon nanotubes. The proposed solid contact sensors (V-VII) showed comparable sensitivity and ease of handling compared to liquid contact sensors (I-IV). The optimized gold nanoparticles sensor VII produced a Nernstian response over the range of 9.77 × 10−7 to 1 × 10−3 M with LOD of 2.4 × 10−7 M. It has also been used to determine MIR in its pharmaceutical formulation in the presence of a co-formulated antioxidant butylated hydroxytoluene and spiked human plasma. This would offer a feasible and economic platform for monitoring MIR in pharmaceutical preparation and biological fluids.