Analysis of Interaction between food dye amaranth and human serum albumin by UV-Vis Spectroscopy (CAT#: STEM-MB-0942-WXH)

Introduction

Amaranth, a synthetic azo dye, has been widely used in foods with a reddish or brownish colour, including soft drinks, cake mixes, ice-creams, cereals, wines, salad dressings, and coffee. However, amaranth can induce allergic and asthmatic reactions in sensitive people when it contacts with some kinds of drugs (e.g., aspirin, benzoic acid) within the human body. What’s more, there is ample evidence indicating that ingestible synthetic azo dyes, containing azo (N@N) functional groups and aromatic ring structure, are reductively cleaved into aromatic amines and many aromatic amines are toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic.
Human serum albumin (HSA) is a heart-shaped tridomain protein. As the major soluble protein constituent of circulatory system, it has many physiological and pharmacological functions. For instance, it contributes to colloid osmotic blood pressure and is mainly responsible for the maintenance of blood pH. Furthermore, it can bind and transport a large number of ligands present in blood such as drugs, bilirubin, bile acids, metabolites, dyes, etc.. The binding of chemicals to protein will change the macromolecular conformation, and thus affect physiological function of protein. Consequently, the study of the interaction of amaranth with HSA is important, and will be helpful to shed light on the disposition, transportation and metabolism of amaranth at the molecular level.