Near field plasmonic excitation of a flexible substrate to investigate the effect of opium on progenitor cells (NPCs) neurons

Opium contains alkaloids like morphine and codeine, which interact with opioid receptors (mu, delta, and kappa) in the brain. In this study, we investigate the effects of opium on the different ages of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). NPCs are an important component of the central nervous system, particularly in the hippocampal region. A two-dimensional (2D) plasmonic chip by using a flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate coated with a 35 nm thin layer of gold was cultured with NPCs, which were coated from rats of three different ages (gestational days, 1-year-old, and 2-year-old). Baseline neural activity was first recorded in healthy cells without opium exposure. Subsequently, the cells were treated with three different concentrations of opium (1, 2, and 5 mg/mL) to assess age-dependent effects. The results indicated that the harmful effects of opium are most pronounced in aged NPCs, slightly in gestational NPCs, and stimulate the cells’ activity in middle-aged NPCs.