EFFECT OF FOOD ADDITIVES; CARMOISINE AND ACESULFAME POTASSIUM ON THE HEART OF ADULT WISTAR RAT
Ezejindu D.N., Aguwa U.S.*, Ugwuja J.O, Ezejindu I.O., Akukwu Cyprian D., Uloneme Godwin C., Okafor E.C., Okeke S. M.
ABSTRACT
Carmoisine and acesulfame potassium are widely used as food additives. This study examined the effect(s) of oral administration of carmoisine and acesulfame potassium on the histology of the heart. Twenty adult wistar rats weighing between 130-180g were divided into five groups of four animals each. Group A (control) was given rat feed and water; group B received 500mg/kg body weight of carmoisine, group C received 500mg/kg body weight of acesulfame potassium while group D was co-administered 250mg/kg body weight of each of carmoisine and acesulfame potassium. All food additives were given daily by oral gavage method for twenty-one days. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, the rats were sacrificed. The hearts were harvested, weighed and fixed in 10% formol saline for histological studies. Our result showed a significant increase in the relative heart weight in group B, compared to the control group. Histological observation showed that following administration of carmoisine and acesulfame potassium, there was mild infiltration of heart tissue by inflammatory cells. The result of the study revealed that exposure of rats to carmoisine and acesulfame pottassium at these concentrations caused mild distortion of cardiac fibers which may constitute a risk factor for cardiac function.
Keywords: Carmoisine, Acesulfame Potassium, Heart, food additive.
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