Computational Studies of Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ): A Review.

Aflatoxin B 1 (AFB 1 ) exhibits the most potent mutagenic and carcinogenic activity among aflatoxins. For this reason, AFB 1 is recognized as a human group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency of Research on Cancer. Consequently, it is essential to determine its properties and behavior in different chemical systems. The chemical properties of AFB 1 can be explored using computational chemistry, which has been employed complementarily to experimental investigations. The present review includes in silico studies (semiempirical, Hartree-Fock, DFT, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics) conducted from the first computational study in 1974 to the present (2022). This work was performed, considering the following groups: (a) molecular properties of AFB 1 (structural, energy, solvent effects, ground and the excited state, atomic charges, among others); (b) theoretical investigations of AFB 1 (degradation, quantification, reactivity, among others); (c) molecular interactions with inorganic compounds (Ag + , Zn 2+ , and Mg 2+ ); (d) molecular interactions with environmentally compounds (clays); and (e) molecular interactions with biological compounds (DNA, enzymes, cyclodextrins, glucans, among others). Accordingly, in this work, we provide to the stakeholder the knowledge of toxicity of types of AFB 1 -derivatives, the structure-activity relationships manifested by the bonds between AFB 1 and DNA or proteins, and the types of strategies that have been employed to quantify, detect, and eliminate the AFB 1 molecule.