In Vivo Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Induced by Intraperitoneal Administration of the Biosurfactant Mannosylerythritol Lipids in Swiss Mice

The properties of mannosylerythritol lipids-B (MEL-B) have been widely investigated, especially in skincare, food, and therapeutic fields. Despite that, few studies address the toxicity of this glycolipid on mammalian cells. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the in vivo oxidative stress of MEL-B in Swiss mice. MEL-B (50 and 150 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally at two exposure times, 24 and 72 h. The biochemical damage was quantified from gastrocnemius, lung, kidney, cardiac, liver, and spleen. In this study, we evaluated the measurements of reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage marker, antioxidant defenses, protein content, triglyceride, creatine kinase (CK-MB), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels. The DCF (2′,7′-dichlorofluorescein), sulfhydryl, and SOD (superoxide dismutase) content were used to verify the oxidative damage and antioxidant defenses of cells. The results indicate that the MEL-B does not trigger acute toxicity in the tested animal systemic context. Oxidative stress was observed in the liver samples, likely due to the metabolization of MEL-B. The triglyceride levels, CK-MB, and LDH enzymes do not present any significant alteration (p < 0.05), indicating that glycolipids do not trigger tissue damage. These findings open new perspectives for the safety use of MEL-B in cosmetic and medicinal products.