Single- and multi-photon excited fluorescence from serotonin complexed with β-cyclodextrin

The fluorescence of serotonin on binding with beta-cyclodextrin has been studied using both steady state and time-resolved methods. Steady state fluorescence intensity of serotonin at 340 nm showed similar to 30% increase in intensity on binding with K-A similar to 60 dm(3) mol(-1) and the fluorescence lifetimes showed a corresponding increase. In contrast, the characteristic green fluorescence ('hyperluminescence') of serotonin observed upon multiphoton near-infrared excitation with sub-picosecond pulses was resolved into two lifetime components assigned to free and bound serotonin. The results are of interest in relation to selective imaging and detection of serotonin using the unusual hyperluminescence emission and in respect to recent determinations of serotonin by capillary electrophoresis in the presence of cyclodextrin. The results also suggest that hyperluminescence occurs from multiphoton excitation of a single isolated serotonin molecule.