Neuropharmacological and gastrointestinal evaluation of coloring agent metanil yellow used in food and beverages

Arpon Krishna Bala,Runa Masuma,Md Arfanur Rahman,Md Ataur Rahman,Md Kamrul Hasan

doi:10.3329/jujbs.v8i1.42466

Arpon Krishna Bala, Runa Masuma + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3329/jujbs.v8i1.42466

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Abstract

Metanil yellow as a coloring agent is widely used in food industry to make food more appealing, appetizing and informative. Regulatory organization like FDA maintains strict rules but in our country coloring agents are at randomly used. This study is designed to evaluate side effects of metanil yellow on central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract in mice. Open field, hole board and hole cross tests were done to evaluate the effects of central nervous system; while castor oil and magnesium sulfate induced diarrheal tests were done to observe the effects on gastrointestinal tract. The mice were administered a dose of 5 gm/kg body weight of metanil yellow considered as 1x dose (MTYx) and another dose of 20 gm/kg body weight of metanil yellow considered as 4x dose (MTY4x). In the study, the metanil yellow exhibited central nervous system stimulatory effects based on hole cross test (p=000***, p=.003**, p=000***, p=.001***), hole board test (p=.03*, p=.005**, p=.041*, p=0.018*), and open field test (p=0.004**, p=.002**, p=.002**, p=.011*, p=0.008*). On the other hand gastrointestinal test results failed to show a significant effect (p=.04*). Jahangirnagar University J. Biol. Sci. 8(1): 35-44, 2019 (June)

Highlights

Coloring agent used in food and pharmaceutical products is of natural or synthetic origin
‘Metanil yellow’ is highly-water-soluble and due to the presence of chemical azo group which is toxic in nature; this dye is not permitted for food materials
Dose and route of administration: In this study each mice of treated group was given orally a dose of 5 gm/kg body weight of metanil yellow, considered as 1x dose (MTYx) and another dose of 20 gm/kg body weight of metanil yellow considered as 4x dose (MTY4x)

Summary

Introduction

Coloring agent used in food and pharmaceutical products is of natural or synthetic origin. As ‘Metanil yellow’ is widely used in foods without safety concern, this study is designed to investigate the effects of this agent on central nervous system and gastrointestinal in mice. Later on the number of passing out of the mouse through that hole from one end of the cage to another for a period of 2 minutes at pre 30 min and post 30, 60, 120 and 240 minutes after the oral administration of the test drug was recorded.

Results

Conclusion