Aim: To evaluate the anti-oxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, lipid profile and liver function in albino rats orally administered tartrazine. Study Design: A total number of 63 female albino rats weighing approximately 0.2 kg were used for this study. The study was divided into two phases, phase 1 which lasted for the first 30 days, comprised of 35 rats, 20 rats were used as test group while 15 rats served as the control group. Phase 2 of the study was for 60 days and 28 rats were used with 16 as test group and 12 as the control. The test groups were orally administered with 7.5 mg/kg of tartrazine (ADI) daily over the specified periods while the control groups were not treated with tartrazine but given only food and water. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria within a period of 12 months (Feb., 2019 – Jan., 2020). Methodology: At the end of the study, 5 mls of whole blood specimens was collected by means of cardiac puncture into plain bottles. To obtain the serum, the whole blood samples were allowed to clot and later dislodged and spun at 3500 rpm for 10 minutes. The collected serum specimens were used to analyze SOD, MDA, GPX, ALT, GGT, ALP, TG, TCHOL, and HDL-C, while LDL-C was calculated using Friedwald equation. Results: The chronic treatment of rats with tartrazine azo food dye at the ADI dose caused an increase in MDA levels after 30 and 60 days test rats compared to the control, while TCHOL and HDL-C showed significant decrease after 30 and 60 days of treatment in the test group compared to the control group. In addition, ALT indicated significant increase in test group after 60 days of treatment compared to control group. ALP, GGT, TG, LDL-C, SOD and GPX showed no significant difference after 30, and 60 days of treatment at ADI doses. Histologic examination of the liver indicated hydropic dilation, degenerating hepatocyes and infiltration of central vein with parenchymal materials alongside kupffer cells. Conclusion: The results from this study revealed that orally administered tartrazine at the recommended ADI dose increased lipid peroxidation as seen in the elevated MDA levels. Hepatic derangements were also seen as revealed by increased ALT and histologic distortions as well fall in TCHOL and HDL-C lipid fractions.

Aim: Assess the effect of tartrazine azo dye on atherogenic indices and markers of cardiac injury in albino rats. Study Design: A total number of 63 rats were used for the study. The study was divided into two phases, 1 and 2, which lasted for 30 and 60 days respectively. Phase 1 had 35 rats, 20 as test and 15 as control, while phase 2 had 28 rats, 16 as test and 12 as control. In each phase the test groups were given 7.5mg/kg of tartrazine orally on daily basis over the stipulated period while the control groups were not treated with tartrazine. Methodology: At the end of the study, 5ml of whole blood was collected from the jugular veins into Lithium Heparin bottles. The sample was spun, plasma collected and analyzed for cardiac Troponin I (cTn-I) and cardiac Troponin T (cTn-T), Total creatinekinase (CK), creatinekinase MM (CK-MM), and creatinekinase MB (CK-MB). Lipid parameters like total cholesterol (TC), High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and Triglyceride (TG) which were also analysed. Atherogenic indices such as atherogenic coefficient (AC), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), Non High density lipoprotein-cholesterol (nHDL-C), and castelli risk indices 1 and 2 (CRI-1 and CRI-2) were also calculated. In addition, cardiac tissues were collected, fixed in 10% formol saline and examined histologically using Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism version 8.02. Results: The results obtained indicate significant increases in nHDL-C, total CK and cTn-T after 30 and 60 days of treatment with tartrazine at ADI doses against controls. Other atherogenic indices such as AIP, AC, CRI-1 and CRI-2 as well as markers of cardiac injury such as cTn-I and CK-MB indicated non-significant increases. Conclusion: Orally administered tartrazine over a 60 day period induced cardiac injury as shown by the significant increase in the cTn-T and total CK as well as hypertrophied nuclei of cardiomyocytes. This goes to say chronic administration of tartrazine even at the recommended daily dose could pose the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is also supported by an increase in nHDL cholesterol.