Vegetos

Abstract

Metanil yellow, an azo dye, is a non-permitted synthetic food colour used extensively in India and other countries as food additive. Present communication reports the toxic effects of metanil yellow on hepatic markers in body fluid and liver tissue and its amelioration by cinnamaldehyde, a natural phytochemical present in cinnamon. Oral administration of metanil yellow in albino Wistar rats for 21 days caused elevation in serum enzymes (glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, gluatamate pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase), creatinine and total bilirubin along with decline in blood urea nitrogen, albumin and total protein levels. At tissue level, activities of oxidative stress markers viz., superoxide dismutase, catalase and reduced glutathione observed in normal liver were reduced to about half while malondialdehyde level increased significantly under the influence of metanil yellow. Co-administration of cinnamaldehyde in metanil yellow intoxicated rats exhibited considerable restoration of oxidative stress and hepatic markers in serum and liver tissues. The study revealed that cinnamaldehyde has antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential.