Protective Effects of Dietary Supplement Spirulina (Spirulina platensis) against Toxically Impacts of Monosodium Glutamate in Blood and Behavior of Swiss mouse

Adina Lia Longodor,Stefania Maris,Ioana Pop,Luisa Andronie,Florica Matei,Bogdan Sevastre,Aurelia Coroian,Igori Balta,Marian Taulescu,Octavia Maria Tamas-Krumpe,Zamfir Marchiș,Corina Toma

doi:10.3390/separations8110218

Adina Lia Longodor, Stefania Maris + Show 10 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/separations8110218

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Abstract

(1) Background: Well-known monosodium glutamate (E-621, MSG), originally used as a food flavor enhancer, was approved approximately in all countries, but the toxicity versus the safety of (MSG) are still unclear due to variable scientific toxicological reports. Moreover, it was reported to trigger elevated frequencies of nausea and headaches in humans and provide deleterious effects on laboratory animals. The objectives of the present study were to (i) estimate the possible toxic effects of the food additive MSG (ii) and the ameliorating protective effects of the dietary supplement spirulina (Spirulina platensis) on the biochemical parameters of blood and the damage produced in organs of Swiss mice after applying a supplementary daily dose of MSG for 4 weeks. (2) Methods: The present study was conducted on 20 mature Swiss mice, which were randomly organized into four groups of five Swiss mice. The treatments were (I) the control group, in which Swiss mice were fed only animal feed and drinking water; group II MSG1, which received 1 mL of MSG; group III MSG0.5, which was treated with 0.5 mL of MSG; and (IV) the group MSGS, which was treated with 1 mL of monosodium glutamate and 1 mL of spirulina (aiming to reduce the MSG toxicity). (3) Results: At the end of the experiment, Swiss mice treated with MSG demonstrated a passiveness regarding behavioral aspects. As we hypothesized, the parameters of the spirulina group reached similar values to the control group, and no histopathological observations have been found. Altogether, our findings evidenced that monosodium glutamate leads to histopathological changes in Swiss mice kidneys and caused important modifications for all biochemical parameters of the blood serum. Noticeably, the potential protective effect of Spirulina platensis was proved and was described by using the FTIR spectroscopy technique. (4) Conclusions: A diet rich in antioxidants and other plant-derived bioactive compounds may provide healthy nutrition, alleviating the potential side effects of some food additives.

Highlights

The current trend among consumers is focused on high-quality food with an insignificant addition of synthetic additives, and the food industry aims to bring products to a different level by focusing on natural preservation and stabilization approached [1,2,3]
The objectives of the present study were to (i) estimate the possible toxic effects of the food additive MSG (ii) and the ameliorating protective effects of the dietary supplement spirulina (Spirulina platensis) on the biochemical parameters of blood and the damage produced in organs of Swiss mice after applying a supplementary daily dose of MSG for 4 weeks
The treatments were (I) the control group, in which Swiss mice were fed only animal feed and drinking water; group II MSG1, which received 1 mL of MSG; group III MSG0.5, which was treated with 0.5 mL of MSG; and (IV) the group MSGS, which was treated with 1 mL of monosodium glutamate and 1 mL of spirulina

Summary

Introduction

The current trend among consumers is focused on high-quality food with an insignificant addition of synthetic additives, and the food industry aims to bring products to a different level by focusing on natural preservation and stabilization approached [1,2,3]. Well-known monosodium glutamate (E-621, MSG) is a food additive; initially, it was used as a food flavor enhancer attributing a new kind of taste to some foods and was named “umami” [6]. It was discovered by a Japanese researcher more than a century ago and was extracted from dried kelp, which is a brown algae seaweed belonging to the Laminariales order [7]. Glutamate is one of the most abundant amino acids that exist in nature It is a fundamental element for the majority of tissues, peptides, proteins, and plays a crucial role in human metabolism, acting as a neurotransmitter [8]. In humans, the ingestion of repeated high doses of MSG can trigger an elevated frequency of nausea and headaches [20]

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