Difference between Natural (Stevia) and Artificial (Aspartame) Sweeteners: Neurobiochemical and Histopathological Studies on Male Albino Rat’s brain

Abstract

Caloric sweetener sucrose is an essential component of modern diet. However, sucrose diet has an adverse effect on body weight and is associated with medical complications. So, substituting sucrose with low calorie sweeteners either synthetic as aspartame or natural as stevia is an effecticious weight management strategy. In addition to its neuroprotective action. The present study is an investigation to compare aspartame and stevia as an artificial and natural non calorie sweeteners and sucrose as a high calorie widely used sweetener. To achieve this object, a total number of 64 male albino rats were currently investigated. Animals were classified into four groups. The first group served as control group, the second group represented the sucrose group, the third group represented the aspartame and the fourth represented the stevia group. Eight animals from each group were dissected after 30 days and 90 days. Morphological Investigation: Stevia group or aspartame group administration for 90 days caused a significant decrease in final body weights and body weight gain of rats. On the contrary sucrose administrated animals signified a percentage of increase in final body weights and body weight gain when compared to control ones. Aspartame group or stevia group treated animals clarified a reduction in food consumption /rat/day. Calculated caloric intake elucidated a noticeable decrease in the mean values of aspartame and stevia supplemented animals compared to sucrose and control groups.