“The Influence of Ascorbic Acid Supplementation on Tartrazine Induced Changes in Submandibular Salivary Gland of Albino Rats” ¬

Abstract

Tartrazine one of the best known and the most commonly used food additives, is used in many medications as well as in foods. It is a synthetically yellow azo dye added mainly to colored carbonated drinks, fruit squash, soups, ice cream, sweet, chewing gum, jam, jelly and many convenience foods. It can be used with brilliant blue to produce various green shades. It is also used in cooking in developing countries as a substitute for saffron. In addition, TZ can also be found in the shells of medicinal capsules. The acceptable daily intake (ADI) for human is 0-7.5 mg/kg body weight. Numerous studies had incriminated TZ to be responsible for exacerbations of asthma, allergic rhinitis and urticaria in atopic patients. In vitro, TZ induces acytotoxic activity and an immunosuppressive effect on the human peripheral blood lymphocytes. In addition, prolonged use of this dye increases the number of gastric mucosa eosinophils and lymphocytes of Wistar rats. Other effects are attributed to TZ, such as genotoxicity, hyperactivity in children and reduction of fertilityin swiss mice male. In addition TZ was found to have hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic action, causing histopathological changes as congestion, stasis and edema in the liver and kidney and hepatocyte and kidney apoptosis and atrophy of some renal corpuscles. Also it causes changes in kidney and liver biochemical profiles. Tartrazine was found to be more risky at higher doses, inducing oxidative stress on tissue by free radical formation. Oxidative metabolism of cells is a continuous source of ROS, resulting from univalent reduction of O 2 that can damage most cellular components, leading to cell death. In Norway and Austria, TZ has been banned to be used in foods. In the United States, manufacturers are required to indicate on the label if a product contains TZ.