Role of lactone ring of aflatoxin B1 in toxicity and mutagenicity.

Cleavage of the lactone ring of aflatoxin B1 results in a nonfluorescent compound that has greatly reduced biological activity. Mutagenicity, as measured by the Ames test, is reduced 450-fold compared to that of B1, and toxicity, as measured by the chick embryo test, is reduced 18-fold.