Novel natural myricetin with AIE and ESIPT characteristics for selective detection and imaging of superoxide anions in vitro and in vivo

A novel AIE probe with ESIPT characteristics, myricetin, has been easily purified from vine tea for reversible, selective and sensitive targeting of O-2(-) in turn-on mode. Its AIE nanocrystals exhibit large Stokes shift, high photostability, excellent biocompatibility, and low cytotoxicity for endogenous O-2(-) detection and imaging in vitro and in vivo.