Cardiotoxicity of monosodium glutamate exposure in Wistar rats: Protective potentials of selenium

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is used worldwide as a flavor enhancer for increasing the palatability of food and thus food intake. although MSG is generally considered safe, its high level of consumption has been implicated in oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction, all of which are associated with cardiovascular diseases. Selenium, an essential constituent of a number of enzymes, has been reported to possess both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, highlighting its therapeutic potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective potentials of selenium against monosodium glutamate-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats. Twenty adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Group A served as Control; Group B received 200 mg/kg of MSG only; Group C received 200 mg/kg of MSG and 0.5 mg/kg of selenium; Group D received 0.5 mg/kg of selenium only. After 28 days, the animals were sacrificed and the hearts were collected for histological assessments. Results showed a significant weight increase (P<0.05) in the control and selenium-only groups, while MSG-treated rats had reduced weight gain. Selenium co-administration improved weight parameters compared to MSG-only. Heart weight decreased significantly (p<0.05) in MSG-treated rats, though there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in cardiosomatic indices. Histological analysis revealed myocardial damage in the MSG group, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, inflammation, and fibrosis whereas selenium preserved cardiac structure and prevented fibrosis. In conclusion, findings from this study showed that MSG-induced histological alterations in the heart tissue as well as fibrosis and inflammation, however, Selenium attenuated MSG-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar rats.