Systematic Evaluation of Signs, Symptoms, and Severity of Tartrazine and Carmoisine Azo Dyes Acute Toxicity in Albino Rats

Colours are an important component of food and food products stimulating the desired psychological satisfaction, particularly in children. The study was designed to evaluate the severity, signs, and symptoms of tartrazine and carmoisine toxicity in albino rats. A total of 160 rats (male and female) rats weighing approximately 0.15kg were used for the experiment. Pilot studies were done to establish the LD100 of tartrazine and carmoisine in both intraperitoneal and oral routes of administration in the experimental animals. Following the LD 100 determination, doses of tartrazine intraperitoneally administered ranged from 0.0g/kg, to 8.33g/kg, while doses of tartrazine orally administered ranged from 0.0g/kg, to 20.0g/kg, Regarding carmoisine, the doses of carmoisine administered intraperitoneally ranged from 0.0g/kg, to, 2.0g/kg while doses orally administered ranged from 0.0g/kg, to 22.5g/kg. The severity, signs, and symptoms of toxicity were monitored for 24 hours immediately after administration. Signs and symptoms of toxicity such as pigmentation, sedation, respiratory distress, coma, and death were observed. More so, other signs of toxicity such as loss of appetite, yellowish or reddish urine and soft stool, watery stool, low motor activities, nosebleeds, drooling, loss of furs, and generalized fatigue were observed particularly in the dose/rats where respiratory distress, coma, and death occurred. Data obtained were analysed using GraphPad Prism and statistical significance was seen at P<0.05. The time of onset of the signs and symptoms of toxicity were inversely proportional to the dose while the severity of the toxicity was proportional to the dose administered. The severity, signs, and symptoms of azo dye toxicity in treated rats vary based on the dose administered and the time of exposure. The signs and symptoms of pigmentation appeared at 80.23±7.41 minutes at the dose 1.67g/kg while death occurred firstly 316±0.13minutes at dose of 5.0g/kg in rats treated with tartrazine intraperitoneally. Meanwhile, pigmentation appeared at 98.35±19.16minutes at the dose 2.5g/kg while death occurred firstly 352±5.66minutes at dose of 10g/kg in rats treated with tartrazine orally. Regarding carmoisine, pigmentation appeared at 94.25±4.35minutes at the dose 0.17g/kg while death occurred firstly 361±4.24minutes at dose of 2.0g/kg in rats treated with carmoisine intraperitoneally. In addition, oral administration of carmoisine showed pigmentation appearing at 110±11.17minutes at the dose 5.0g/kg while death occurred firstly 418±0.23minutes at dose of 2.0g/kg in rats treated with carmoisine orally. Finally, the severity of toxicity in the Rats indicated a toxicological score of 60+ at the highest dose (LD50) administered in all the forms of treatment. Rats treated with higher doses of tartrazine and carmoisine showed severe indicators of toxicity including death. Therefore, the consumption of high doses of carmoisine or tartrazine in food or food products even on a short-term basis should be avoided.