The effect of vitamin C administration on monosodium glutamate induced liver injury. An experimental study

• Published in: Experimental and toxicologic pathology : official journal of the Gesellschaft für Toxikologische Pathologie 2013-07, Vol.65 (5), p.513-521
• Main Authors: EL-Meghawry EL-Kenawy, Ayman, Osman, Hosam Eldin Hussein, Daghestani, Maha Hasan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - administration & dosage; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; ascorbic acid; Ascorbic Acid - administration & dosage; Ascorbic Acid - therapeutic use; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - etiology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - metabolism; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - pathology; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury - prevention & control; Collagen - metabolism; diet; Disease Models, Animal; food additives; glutamic acid; Glycogen - metabolism; hepatocytes; Histochemistry; Histological; Immunohistochemistry; ki-67; Ki-67 Antigen - metabolism; Liver; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Liver - ultrastructure; Male; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; mitochondria; Monosodium glutamate; p53; proteins; Rats; rough endoplasmic reticulum; sodium chloride; Sodium Glutamate - toxicity; taste; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism; Ultrastructure; umami; Vitamin C
• ISSN: 0940-2993; 1618-1433
• DOI: 10.1016/j.etp.2012.02.007

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a commonly used food enhancer. Glutamate is used as food additive for enhancing the “meat flavor” of food and gives a particular taste named “umami”. In this study, we evaluated the effect of vitamin C on monosodium glutamate induced rat liver injury. This study was divided into 3 groups: group 1 received a diet containing 0.9% NaCl; group 2 received diet containing MSG 6mg/g/b.w.; and group 3 received a diet containing 6mg/g/b.w. followed by vitamin C (500mg/kg/b.w.) for 45 days. The resulting changes were detected using histological, histochemical, ultrastructural, and immuohistochemical analysis. Severe alterations were recorded including dilatations of the central veins; severe cyto-architectural distortions of the hepatocytes; marked reduction in both carbohydrates and proteins; vacuolated cytoplasm, swollen mitochondria and vesiculated rough endoplasmic reticulum with picknotic nuclei; in addition to significant variation in the expression of ki-67 and p53 proteins. The data obtained from this study showed the improvements in the pathological architecture of the liver after treatment with vitamin C. The present data point to the ameliorative effect of vitamin C against MSG induced liver injury.