Tartrazine: Potential hepatorenal and cardiovascular toxicity and the possible protective effect of vitamin E in Wistar rats

Background: Monitoring and evaluation of adverse effects of food additives as extensively used compounds is of crucial value to lower the expected harmful effects on human health. Tartrazine is a synthetic food dye that is very popular in Egypt. Objective: to investigate tartrazine toxicity and the potential of vitamin E to alleviate tartrazine hepato-renal and cardiovascular toxicity in experimental rats. Methodology: 24 adult male albino Wistar rats were included in the study. Tartrazine (300 mg/kg/day orally) was used alone and along with vitamin E (100 mg/kg/day orally) for 30 days. Body and organ weights, arterial blood pressure and ECG were recorded then the rats were sacrificed, and blood was drawn and tested for a variety of serological indicators. including kidney functions (creatinine, urea and uric acid) liver functions (AST&ALT) and lipid peroxidation indicator (MDA). In addition, histopathological analysis was done for liver and kidney tissues. Results: throughout the experiment, no mortality or behavioral changes were observed, vitamin E used in the current study mostly reversed tartrazine's harmful effects in rats. Vitamin E decreased creatinine, urea, and uric acid levels by 23%, 33% and 13% respectively. In addition, ALT, AST, and MDA levels were improved by 17%, 40% and 42% respectively. Significant reduction in arterial blood pressure and improvement in ECG changes also was observed after vitamin E treatment. Conclusion: Vitamin E has a potential protective effect as an antioxidant in ameliorating the toxic effects caused by tartrazine.