EFFECT OF SYNTHETIC COLORING DYE ERYTHROSINE (E127) IN RATS

Abstract

Food additives are substances used in food industry in order to improve the food’s taste, appearance by preserving its flavor and preventing it from souring. Food additives are added to the most junk and fast foods, especially food for kids. Erythrosine B (ErB) is a cherry-pink food colorant with a polyiodinated xanthene structure. It is unique in this class approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is widely used in foods, drugs and cosmetics. Although its utilization is permitted, ErB has been described as having an influence on childhood behavior and interfering with thyroid function due to the high iodine content. This study was designed to investigate the toxic effect of two doses (0.08g/kg diet, and 0.4g/kg diet) of ErB as synthetic colors on the balance of neurotransmitter in 30 treated male rats compared with the 15 control male rats. Significant decrease (p˂0.01) was obtained in Dopamine, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA), Norepinephrine (NE), Acetyl choline esterase (AchE), glutathione reductase (GSH) and serotonin when treated with low and high dose ErB compared with the control group. Significant increase (p˂0.01) in MDA and Glutamate in low and high dose that may explain the abnormal behavior of treated rats.