Development of a Rapid Immunochromatographic Strip Test for the Detection of Mulberroside A

Introduction

Mulberroside A (MuA) is the major active anti-tyrosinase compound in the root bark extract of Morus alba L. (Moraceae). Typically, MuA is widely employed as an active ingredient in whitening cosmetics. A rapid and simple assay system utilizing a small quantity of test sample is essential for the detection of MuA in large number of samples. An immunoassay using highly specific MuA polyclonal antibodies may be useful for the determination of small quantities of MuA in test samples.

Objective

To establish a rapid qualitative MuA test, an immunochromatographic strip test was developed using anti-MuA polyclonal antibodies (anti-MuA PAb).

Methodology

The qualitative assay was based on a competitive immunoassay where the detection reagent consisted of anti-MuA PAb colored with colloidal gold particles. The capture reagent was a MuA-ovalbumin (MuA-OVA) conjugate immobilized on the test strip membrane.

Mulberroside A was purchased from Biopurify Phytochemical (Sichuan, China).