Electrochemical determination of carboplatin in serum using a DNA-modified glassy carbon electrode

Abstract

An electrochemical method for the determination of the anticancer platinum drug carboplatin using a DNA-modified electrode was developed. This electrode was successfully used for the electrochemical determination of carboplatin in serum samples of patients with ovarian cancer undergoing treatment. The electrochemical results clearly demonstrated that, for low concentrations, carboplatin interacts preferentially with adenine rather than guanine groups in the DNA and they can contribute to clarifying the mechanisms of interaction of platinum anticancer drugs with DNA. The pharmacokinetics corresponding to the administration of the drug was followed electrochemically and the detection limit in serum samples was 5.7 × 10 -6M. Due to a similar mechanism of reaction with DNA other platinum anticancer drugs can be determined by this method.