Effect of aspartame on some oxidative stress parameters in liver and kidney of rats

Abstract

Aspartame is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners in over 90 countries worldwide. It is a highly intensity sweetener added to a large variety of food, most commonly found in low calorie beverages, desserts and table top sweeteners added to tea or coffee. The present study examined whether the daily oral administration of ASP (40 mg/kg) for 2, 4 and 6 weeks induce oxidative stress in the liver and kidney of male albino rats. Lipid peroxidation (LPO), glutathione reduced (GSH) levels as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) enzymes were determined. A significant increase in LPO levels was obtained in the liver tissue after 4 and 6 weeks of ASP administration while there was a significant decrease in LPO level after 2 weeks followed by a significant increase in the renal tissue at the end of the 6 weeks. SOD activity significantly decreased in the liver tissue after 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment. Also, there was a significant decrease in SOD activity after 2 and 4 weeks in the renal tissue. CAT activity significantly decreased in the liver tissue after 2 and 4 weeks of ASP administration. Regarding to GSH content, there was a significant decrease in the liver tissue after 2, 4 and 6 weeks which was accompanied by a significant increase in GST activity after 4 and 6 weeks of ASP administration. In conclusion, ASP may induce an oxidative stress in the liver and kidney of male albino rats.

Study on morphological changes induced by aspartame on liver of normal and diabetic male albino rats

“…This opinion is in agreement with our study which observed a significant elevation in lipid peroxidase level in the liver tissue of rats after 28 days treatment with aspartame. A similar result was reported by [28]. Lipid peroxidation induce oxidative damage to proteins and nucleic acids which lead to increased collagen and ground substance formation [42].…”

“…Free radicals affect Na/K pump function leading to Na accumulation and water migration to the cells [26]. Moreover, methanol could increase lipid peroxidation which increase the surface charge density and act as an auto catalytic mechanism leading to oxidative destruction of cellular membrane as noted by other reports [27,28].…”

Longer period of oral administration of aspartame on cytokine response in Wistar albino rats

“…Recently from previous studies on aspartame and its metabolite, altering the oxidative status of the cells was investigated. Oral aspartame (75 mg/kg body weight/day) consumption causes oxidative stress in brain 21 and its (40 mg/kg bw/day) consumption caused oxidative stress in brain, 22 liver and kidney, 23 and also in immune organs. 24 This inadequacy, combined with the general limited knowledge about the safety/potential toxigenic effects of substances widely present in the industrialized diet, motivated the design of the current study.…”

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“…Alteration of Glucose homeostasis by aspartame ingestion was also well documented a decade before [25]. Aspartame had the capacity to alter the normal antioxidant enzyme pool in many organs like liver and kidney [30]. Even longterm consumption of aspartame could lead to oxidative stress in the erythrocytes and blood cells too [31].…”