Histological and biochemical effects of monosodium glutamate on the frontal lobe of adult Wistar rats

Abstract

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is commonly consumed as a flavour enhancer or food additive and both animal model experiment and human clinical reports has established harmful effects. Group A₁ and B₁ rats was administered with 2mls and 1ml of  0.5g/ml  MSG for 14 and 28 days respectively while Group A₂ and B₂ were respective withdrawal groups for A₁ and B₁ sacrificed 14 days post-administration. The control group (C_o) was administered with 1ml of distilled water for the period of the experiment.

      Histological finding on the frontal lobe showed neurodegenerative changes in all the treated groups as compared with the control group. A correlating increased alkaline phosphatise activity indicating brain lesions was also observed in the treated groups. Withdrawal groups showed more histologically observed degenerative changes compared with the immediately sacrificed groups. Increased weight of the treated groups after sacrifice also signified probable indication for obesity.

Therefore, the non reversibility of the neurodegenerative changes caused by MSG is established in this study and a lighter dose seems to produce lesser degenerative changes.