A sensitive and practical ELISA for analyzing naringenin in pummelo and herb samples

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Naringenin is a flavonoid found in pummelo and is a key active compound in several traditional Chinese medicines.
• Traditional Chinese medicines utilize peels or immature fruits of citrus species, presenting complex matrices for analysis.
• Accurate detection of naringenin is crucial for quality control and understanding its therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and practical method for detecting naringenin in complex matrices like pummelo and traditional Chinese medicines.
• To validate the developed assay against established analytical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Development of an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA).
• Utilized anti-naringenin monoclonal antibodies (anti-Nar-mAbs) for the assay.
• Validation using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) for comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• The icELISA demonstrated high sensitivity with a median inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 4.43 ng/mL.
• The working range for detection was established between 1.15-15.81 ng/mL.
• Results from icELISA showed good correlation, accuracy, and reproducibility compared to UPLC.

Conclusions:

• The developed icELISA is a reliable and accurate method for naringenin detection.
• This assay is suitable for analyzing naringenin in pummelo and various traditional Chinese medicines.
• The method offers a practical approach for quality assessment of citrus-derived products and medicines.