• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.315-321
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate contamination levels of aflatoxins, the secondary metabolites produced by fungi Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus, in herbal medicine. Herbs is susceptible to these fungi infections through its growth harvest, transport and storage. This study determine the aflatoxin $B_1$, $B_2$, $G_1$ and $G_2$ levels by HPLC-florescence detector coupled with photochemical enhancement in 558 samples herbal medicine distributed in Korea and China. Also, We checked a transfer ratio of aflatoxins from raw herbal medicines to herbal medicine extract. Hot water extraction of herbal medicines was prepared by air pressure and high pressure condition. The analytical method for aflatoxins was validated in this method. In results recoveries of the analytical method were ranged from 67.4% to 96.2% and, limits of detection and quantitation for aflatoxins were $0.015{\sim}0.138\;{\mu}g/kg$ and $0.046{\sim}0.418\;{\mu}g/kg$, respectively. According to the results of monitoring on aflatoxins in herbal medicine, aflatoxins 1.7 ug/kg $B_1$ and 0.9 ug/kg $G_1$ were detected in only one sample of Strychni Ignatii Semen, and 0.8 ug/kg $G_1$ in Strychni Semen. About 13.6~51.3% of aflatoxins were transferred to hot water extract. Although the detected levels are under the permitted levels for aflatoxins in herbal medicine, these amounts should be considered in regard to overall daily exposure to mycotoxins.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2005

Aflatoxins are produced by Aspergillus flavus, parasiticus that grows in improperly stored cereals. Aflatoxin $B_1\;(AFB_1)$ is a potent hepatocarcinogen in a variety of experimental animals including human beings. In spite of a high attention to the hepatocarcinogenecity of aflatoxins, the relative toxicity of other types $(AFB_2,\;AFG_1\;and\;AFG_2)$ of the toxins is not fully clarified. Sprague-Dawley male rats were orally administered with $AFB_1,\;AFB_2,\;AFG_1\;and\;AFG_2$ at the dose of 250, 1250, and $2500\;{\mu}g/kg$ body weight. Animals were then killed at 12, 24 or 48 hrs following aflatoxin adminstration. Subsequently the relative weight of liver was measured and histopathological examination on the liver was performed. Level of 8-OxodG and expression of ras gene in the liver was determined. The relative liver weights at high doses of $AFB_1\;and\;AFG_1$ was significantly low. The treatment of $AFB_1$ at the high dose of $2500\;{\mu}g/kg$ showed vacuolar degeneration and centrilobular hepatic necrosis with inflammatory cells. The pathological changes by $AFB_2\;AFG_1,\;and\;AFG_2$ were not clearly found. The formation of 8-OxodG by $AFB_1$ increased in a dose-dependent manner up to 24 hrs after a single treatment of $AFB_1$ thereafter decreased to the level of the control. The treatments of $AFB_2\;AFG_1,\;and\;AFG_2$ showed an inconsistent pattern in the formation of 8-OxodG in the liver of rats with increasing time. The expression of ras oncogene in the liver by $AFB_1$ at the dose of $1250\;{\mu}g/kg$ was increased twice compared to the control. The treatments of $AFB_2\;AFG_1,\;and\;AFG_2$ at all doses decreased the expression of ras in the liver. These results in the present study indicate that $AFB_1$ among aflatoxins with low comparable levels is the most toxic as determined by early biomarkers such as 8-OxodG formation and ras expression. However, the levels of 8-OxodG and ras as biomarkers were not useful to predict the relative hepatocarcinogenicity of aflatoxins to $AFB_1$ in the present model. Further studies are required to look for other biomarkers to predict carcinogenic potency of aflatoxins.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.507-513
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• 2004

Aflatoxins are produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus that grow in improperly stored cereals. Aflatoxin B1 ($AFB_1$) is a potent hepatocarcinogen in a variety of experimental animals including human beings. In spite of a high attention to the hepatocarcinogenecity of $AFB_1$, the relative toxicity of aflatoxins ($AFB_2$ and $AFG_1$) is not fully clarified. Sprague-Dawley male rats were orally administered with $AFB_1$, $AFB_2$, and $AFG_1$ at the dose of 250 ${\mu}g/kg$ (additionally including a dose of $1250{\mu}g/kg $ for $AFB_1$) body weight. Animals were then killed at 12, 24 or 48 hrs following aflatoxin exposure. Subsequently the immunohistochemical examination of p53, cytochrome p450 1A1 (CYP450 1A1), and glutathione-S-transferase placental form (GST-P) were performed. The level of the 8-OxodG in the liver was determined. Expressions of CYP450 1A1 and p53 were high in the liver of rats through 48 hrs after treatment of $AFB_1$ at the single dose of $250{\mu}g/kg $. This pattern was more clear as increasing doses. The treatment of $AFB_2$ and $AFG_1$ did not affect the expression of CYP450 1A1 but it caused weak expression of p53. The activity of GST were not found in the liver of rats treated with aflatoxins. The formation of 8-OxodG by $AFB_1$ increased in a dose-dependent manner up to 24 hrs after a single treatment of $AFB_1$ thereafter decreased to the level of control. The treatment of $AFB_2$ and $AFG_1$ did not affect the levels of 8-OxodG in the liver of rats with increasing time. These results in the present study indicate that $AFB_1$ among aflatoxins with low comparable levels is the most toxic as determined by early biomarkers such as CYP450 1A1, p53, GST-P, and 8-OxodG.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.274-279
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• 2001

Generally, non-aflatoxigenic fungi, such as Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus are main microflora in Korean traditional fermented foods including Meju and soybean paste, but sometimes, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus can be contaminated and accumulated aflatoxins during fermentation and storage. So the screening of aflatoxigenic strains in fermented traditional food is very important to improve the sanitary quality of those foods. In this work, we screened aflatoxin producing fungi from commercial Meju and soybean paste in Western Gyeongnam by immunoassay. Samples were randomly purchased from market of the commercial Meju(10 EA) and soybean paste(20 EA) in nine areas of Western Gyeongnam. Of the samples collected,24 strains and 22 strains of Aspergillus sp. were isolated from Meju and soybean paste, respectively. The isolated strains were cultured on SLS media at $25^{\circ}C$ for 15 days. The cultured broth were extracted with ethyl acetate and were analysed to determine aflatoxin B$_1$(AFB$_1$) by direct competitive ELISA(DC-ELISA). Six strains(25%) isolated from Meju, and 2 strains(9%) isolated from saybean paste, were confined as aflatoxin producing strains. The average range of aflatoxin productivity of isolates from Meju was 54.6 $\pm$ 38.7 ng/ml and that from soybean paste was 11.1 $\pm$ 8.6 ng/ml, respectively. Among them, isolated strain No. M-5-4 produced a high level of AFBl and showed 98.26 ng/ml of AFB$_1$. Every isolates were also re-confined their AFB$_1$productivity by thin layer chromatography(TLC). The TLC results also showed same trend as DC-ELISA results. As the above results, the screening of hazard mycotoxigenic fungi from traditional fermented foods should be necessary for the safety and the application of HACCP system in the food manufactory in Korea.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.150-157
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• 2011

Aflatoxins are secondary metabolites of the molds of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. They are highly carcinogenic compounds and can affect a wide range of vegetable commodities such as cereals (especially corn), nuts, peanuts, fruits and oil seeds, in the field and during storage. In fact, oilseeds are often stored for weeks in conditions that promote the mould growth, and the possible consequent presence of aflatoxins in oilseeds can lead to their transfer in oil. In addition, aflatoxins can be found as a natural contaminant in multi-cereals and beans making baby food for infants and young-children. The objective of this study was to validate the liquid extraction method or develop an analytical method for edible oil and infant-children foods. Therefore, this study developed condition of extract for aflatoxins ($B_1$, $B_2$, $G_1$ and $G_2$) in edible oil using a high performance liquid chromatography with florescence detector (HPLC/FLD). Aflatoxins were extracted from edible oil samples by means of MSPD (Matrix solid phased dispersion), utilizing $C_{18}$ as dispersing material and purified by using immunoaffinity column. The gression line coefficients were above 0.999. The recoveries for aflatoxins ranged from 85.9 to 93.0%, and relative standard deviations were below 5.7%. The new developed method of aflatoxins effectively enhanced recoveries by using MSPD-Immunoaffinity column compared with liquid extraction. The analytical method for liquid extraction of aflatoxin was appropriate for infant-children food. Reviewing the current method, the recoveries of aflatoxins ($B_1$, $B_2$, $G_1$ and $G_2$) were 89.5~92.3%.