Azo food dye neurotoxicity in rats: A neurobehavioral, biochemical, and histopathological study

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology Vol. 181; p. 114067
• Main Authors: Biswas, Pronit, Jain, Juli, Hasan, Whidul, Bose, Devasish, Yadav, Rajesh Singh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2023
• Subjects: Acetylcholinesterase; Azo food dyes; Brain regions; Learning and memory; Mitochondrial complexes; Learning and memory; Brain regions; Mitochondrial complexes; Acetylcholinesterase; Azo food dyes
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114067

Azo Food dyes (AFDs), which are widely used in the food industry, may be associated with adverse health effects. We have investigated the effects of the AFDs metanil yellow (MY), malachite green (MG), and sudan III (SIII) on cognitive impairment, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, neuro-enzyme activities, and histopathology in rats. Rats treated with MY (430 mg/kg), MG (13.75 mg/kg), SIII (250 mg/kg), and a mixture (MY 143.33 + MG 4.52 + SIII 83.33 mg/kg) p.o. for 60 d showed significant learning and memory impairments. Significant biochemical changes were observed in the rat frontal cortex and hippocampus: increases in lipid peroxidation and the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE); decreases in the level of reduced glutathione and the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and mitochondrial complexes I and II. Histological damage to brain neurons accompanied the learning and memory impairments and was linked with other biochemical and neurochemical alterations.
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•Administration of Azo food dyes (AFDs) cause adverse health effects.•Neurobehavioral impairment has not been frequently addressed through the exposure of AFDs.•Present study correlates the learning and memory impairments with the AChE in the AFDs exposed rats.•Effect on oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal damage in rat brain also investigated.•AFDs exposure resulted in learning and memory impairments linked with biochemical alterations in rats.