Supramolecular complex formation, a possible antigenotoxic mechanism of glucomannan against aflatoxin B₁

Abstract

Glucomannan is a highly branched polysaccharide with glycosidic linkages, constituted of mannoses and glucoses. In recent years, its usefulness due to its immunological, antioxidant and antimutagenic activity has been recognized. The aim of the study was to determine the antigenotoxic ability of glucomannan extracted from Candida utilis orally administered (100–700 mg/kg) to mice, which subsequently received 1 mg/kg aflatoxin B₁. Hepatocytes obtained from these animals 4–16 h post administration were examined by means of the comet assay. The antigenotoxic effect was found to be higher than that observed in previous studies with α-mannan and β-D-glucan isolated from Saccharomyces cerevisiae., In order to explore the possibility of formation of a supramolecular complex between glucomannan and aflatoxin B₁, both compounds were co-crystallized, their melting points determined, and the complex analyzed through ultraviolet spectroscopy. The spectroscopy data suggest that the protective effect of glucomannan is related to the formation of a supramolecular complex between the two compounds.

Keywords:

• Aflatoxin B₁
• Candida utilis
• comet assay
• glucomannan
• supramolecular complex

Acknowledgments

Long and successful life to the Fourth Mexican transformation (E. Madrigal-Bujaidar and I. Álvarez-González).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.