Sodium benzoate induced developmental defects, oxidative stress and anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish larva

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 502; no. 3; pp. 364 - 369
• Main Authors: Gaur, Himanshu, Purushothaman, Srinithi, Pullaguri, Narasimha, Bhargava, Yogesh, Bhargava, Anamika
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 20-07-2018
• Subjects: 60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES; Anxiety; EDEMA; GLUTATHIONE; Gsr; Hatching; Mortality; OXIDOREDUCTASES; Sodium benzoate; VERTEBRATES; Zebrafish; Zebrafish; Anxiety; Sodium benzoate; Hatching; Mortality; Gsr
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.05.171

Sodium benzoate (SB) is a common food preservative. Its FDA described safety limit is 1000 ppm. Lately, increased use of SB has prompted investigations regarding its effects on biological systems. Data regarding toxicity of SB is divergent and controversial with studies reporting both harmful and beneficial effects. Therefore, we did a systematic dose dependent toxicity study of SB using zebrafish vertebrate animal model. We also investigated oxidative stress and anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish larva treated with SB. Our results indicate that SB induced developmental (delayed hatching), morphological (pericardial edema, yolk sac edema and tail bending), biochemical (oxidative stress) and behavioural (anxiety-like behaviour) abnormalities in developing zebrafish larva. LC50 of SB induced toxicity was approximately 400 ppm after 48 h of SB exposure. Our study strongly supports its harmful effects on vertebrates at increasing doses. Thus, we suggest caution in the excessive use of this preservative in processed and convenience foods.
•Sodium benzoate induced developmental defects in zebrafish.•Sodium benzoate induced oxidative stress in zebrafish by upregulation of glutathione reductase (gsr).•Sodium benzoate induced anxiety-like behaviour in zebrafish.