Deoxynivalenol (DON) also known as Vomitoxin, is a type B trichothecene, an epoxy-sesquiterpenoid. This mycotoxin occurs predominantly in grains such as wheat . It is produced mainly by Fusarium species (for example Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium culmorum) and is commonly detected in wheat, maize, barley and oats. Chemically DON has formula C15H20O6 and a molecular weight of 296.32 g mol-1; the molecule contains a 12,13-epoxy ring and several hydroxyl functionalities that determine its polarity and reactivity. DON is moderately soluble in water and readily soluble in polar organic solvents such as methanol and acetonitrile. Routine laboratory identification and quantification use LC MS MS or HPLC with appropriate sample clean up (for example SPE or QuEChERS), and immunoassays are applied for screening. The toxicophore includes the epoxide group which, together with the hydroxyl pattern, is critical to its biological activity.
Parent: Deoxynivalenol
Parent: Deoxynivalenol
In high quality analytical reference materials DON purity is typically greater than 98 percent, with total organic impurities generally below 2 percent; the most common impurities in such standards are acetylated derivatives (3-acetyl DON and 15-acetyl DON) and masked forms such as DON 3 glucoside, each normally present at low single digit percent or lower depending on supplier certification. In naturally contaminated commodities DON frequently co-occurs with related Fusarium metabolites including 3 ADON, 15 ADON, DON 3 glucoside, deepoxy DON (DOM 1), nivalenol and fusarenon X. Relative abundances in field samples vary substantially by fungal chemotype, crop and environment; reported values for individual derivatives commonly range from trace levels up to tens of percent of the parent DON concentration in heavily contaminated lots. Because profiles are source dependent, specification of impurity or co contaminant amounts should be confirmed by targeted analysis for each batch or sample.
Deoxynivalenol is a Fusarium produced mycotoxin classified as a type B trichothecene; it is an epoxy sesquiterpenoid that contaminates cereal grains and interferes with normal cellular processes in animals and humans, causing symptoms such as feed refusal, reduced weight gain and, at higher exposures, emesis and immune effects.
DON binds to the ribosome and inhibits peptidyl transferase activity, blocking eukaryotic protein synthesis and provoking a ribotoxic stress response; this activates signaling pathways such as MAP kinases, alters cytokine expression and can induce apoptosis or immunomodulation. The 12,13 epoxide is essential for its ribotoxic activity and deepoxy metabolites show reduced biological potency.
