Fabrication of novel quantum dots for the estimation of COVID-19 antiviral drug using green chemistry: application to real human plasma

The COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged the search for novel antiviral medications. Recently, molnupiravir (MOL) has been approved as an oral antiviral to manage COVID-19. Thus, the development of sensitive and cost-effective methods for quantification of MOL in real plasma samples (pharmacokinetic) and pharmaceutical tablets is required. Herein, we present the fabrication of novel fluorescent polyamine quantum dots (PA@CQDs) fabricated from apricots using one step synthesis for analysis of MOL. The relative fluorescence intensity (RFI) of the synthesized quantum dots was influentially quenched by the addition of molnupiraivr. The linear range was found to be between 2–70 ng mL(−1) with lower limit of quantitation (LOQ) equal to 1.61 ng mL(−1). The fluorescent probe was successfully utilized in a pharmacokinetic study of MOL with maximum plasma concentration (C(max)) 920.2 ± 6.12 ng mL(−1) without any matrix interference. The sensitivity and selectivity of the presented method allow its application in clinical laboratories.