Solvent assisted regulation of the properties of Sanguisorba officinalis L. derived carbon dots: Application in antioxidant, fluorescence imaging and fluorescence detection

Novel carbon dots (CDs-1) were synthesized using Sanguisorba officinalis L., as a precursor and a deep eutectic solvent (DES) as both solvent and dopant. For comparison, CDs-2 were prepared under identical conditions but using water as solvent. Chemical analyses reveal that two CDs possess well-defined crystalline structures and are rich in diverse functional groups. Notably, DES-mediated synthesis endows CDs-1 with advantageous features compared to CDs-2, including higher N and Cl contents, enhanced hydrophilicity, and superior optical properties. To evaluate their potential biomedical applications, antioxidant capacities of them were investigated through in vitro and in vivo assays. Results demonstrated that both CDs exhibit potent free radical scavenging activity, strong KMnO 4 reduction capability, and notable anti-cellular oxidative damage effects. Importantly, CDs-1 show superior performance in enhancing oxidative stress resistance at nematode level. Furthermore, owing to the exceptional optical characteristics, CDs-1 hold great promise for bioimaging applications and sensitive detection of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP).