Sensitive and Selective Detection of Purine Drugs on Au/MIL-101(Cr) by SERS

The detection of purine drugs has been a persistent concern among scientists in the biology and medicine fields over the past few decades. However, achieving both high sensitivity and selectivity in the detection of purine drugs sharing similar molecular structures remains a significant challenge. Herein, we achieve both high detection sensitivity and selectivity for purine drugs with similar structure on the Gold/Materials of Institut Lavoisier-101(Au/MIL-101) composite by surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In water solution, the detection sensitivity for adenine (Ade) is as low as 1 ng·mL–1. Importantly, in serum containing Ade, 6-mercaptopurine, and allopurinol, Ade can be selectively detected with a detection limit of 3 ng·mL–1, indicating excellent anti-interference capability and practical application potential. Such high detection sensitivity is attributed to the specific adsorption between the amino group of the Ade and the carboxyl groups of the Materials Institut Lavoisier-101(Cr) (MIL-101(Cr)). This work provides a strategy for detecting structurally similar drugs and illustrates the potential use of functionalized SERS substrates in pharmaceutical analysis and therapeutic drug monitoring.