Background: Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium
salt of glutamate. When MSG is added to foods, it provides
a flavoring function similar to naturally occurring free glutamate. It is found in unlimited amounts in a wide variety of
packaged foods such as processed meat, semi-preserved fish
and food supplements. Vitamin C is a strong reducing agent
and as an antioxidant. It is involved in prevention of the
damaging effects of free radicals.
Aim of the Work: The aim of this study was to study the
potential protective effect of Vitamin C on liver damage
caused by monosodium glutamate in adult male rats using
light and Electron microscope.
Materials and Methods: Sixty adult albino rats were used.
The animals were equally divided into three groups each of
them consists of 20 rats: Group I: "Control" were given saline
daily by oral route "for one month. Group II: Were given
monosodium glutamate (4gm/kg of body weight/day, dissolved
in saline orally) for one month. Group III: Were given vitamin
C (500mg/kg of body weight of /day, orally) then after 2 hours
were given monosodium glutamate (4gm/kg of body weight/
day, dissolved in saline orally) for one month. At the end of
the experiment, the rats were anaesthetized by ether then
perfused with saline then with the appropriate fixator (Formalin
10%). The abdomen was opened and the liver of the control
and treated animals was extracted, cut, and processed for light
and transmission electron microscopic studies.
Results: MSG caused distortion of the arrangement of
liver cords around the central veins. There was vacuolation
of hepatocytes of the liver at light and electron microscopic
examination and morphmetric studies. Administration of
Vitamin C could attenuate these changes.
Conclusion: MSG caused degenerative changes in the
liver. Addition of vitamin C decreased those toxic effects of
MSG