VOLTAMMETRIC BEHAVIOR OF NITROIMIDAZOLES AT A DNA-BIOSENSOR

The newly developed DNA-biosensor is a very promising tool for the inv estigation and study of the action of drugs specifically designed to i nteract with DNA. In this work the electrochemical reduction of nitroi midazole drugs was studied in the presence of DNA immobilized onto the surface of a glassy carbon electrode. This enabled preconcentration o f the drug onto the electrode surface, which was then electrochemicall y reduced to the corresponding hydroxylamine which followed by reoxida tion give the nitroso compound and subsequently an azoxycompound. More over, as the target of the nitroimidazole action was the DNA, the dama ge caused to DNA on the electrode surface by a reduction product of th is drug could be detected in situ.