Application of nanomaterial-based fluorescent probes for diabetes detection and care triggered by reactive oxygen species

Diabetes care and management is one of the prime subjects of research in the medicinal field. Owing to the vast population suffering from diabetes, constant advancement is needed in its modes of treatment and diagnosis. The most frequently used mode of monitoring diabetes involves checking the blood glucose level. Fluorescent probes have found widespread use in the early diagnosis of many diseases mainly owing to their non-invasiveness and spatial precision. Extensive research has been conducted for the development of fluorescent probes for glucose. However, there are other significant biomarkers related to diabetes, which must be investigated for diagnosing diabetes with more exactitude and at an early stage. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), found in abundance in diabetic patients, represent such biomarkers. Imbalance of intracellular ROS concentration may interfere with various metabolic processes, which can induce progression of diabetes. Therefore, the detection and quantification of intracellular ROS can contribute to facile monitoring of diabetes. The excess ROS in diabetic patients often interact with specific functional groups, which in turn help release insulin in a dose-dependent manner. Suitably functionalized polymeric hydrogels, metal nanoparticles, carbon-based nanomaterials, and other nanoparticles have been used for successful dose-dependent delivery of insulin and other antidiabetic drugs to diabetic patients. In this review article, the design and mechanism of fluorescent probes for ROS detection have been illustrated, while also focusing on the synthesis and application of hydrogels and versatile nanomaterials in ROS-triggered drug release for diabetes.