Role of gallic acid against hepatic functional and histological deteriorations in tartrazine-intoxicated rats

Abstract

Tartrazine (Tz) is one of the most commonly used artificial food colorants in the food industry, found in a wide array of products. This study investigates the protective role of gallic acid (GA), a powerful antioxidant, against the adverse effects of Tz on the liver. Over a 30-day period, 40 rats were divided into two groups: Group 1 (control group, 10 rats) received a daily administration of a vehicle, while Group 2 (30 rats) received Tz (30 mg/kg body weight). Group 2 was further subdivided into three subgroups of 10 rats each: Subgroup 1 served as a positive control for Tz; Subgroup 2 received GA (200 mg/kg body weight); and Subgroup 3 was left untreated for an additional 30 days as a recovery group (TR). Our study revealed that GA normalized liver functions markers (ALT, AST, and bilirubin), regulated lipids (cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and TG), and ameliorated the redox potentials activity of liver tissue (Catalase, GSH, SOD, LPO, Total peroxide, and Carbonyl protein), revealing its potential in mitigating the negative impact of Tz administration. Moreover, histopathological examinations, including the TUNEL assay, and histological and histochemical studies, demonstrated that GA effectively prevented the histological damage caused by Tz administration.