Biochemical Changes In The Brain Of Malnourished Rats Fed Low Dose Monosodium Glutamate

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a non-regulated flavour enhancer with a controversial safety record following lack of intensive and realistic toxicity studies especially under well-defined physiological conditions. Well-fed or malnourished rats (females and males in equal number) were fed low dose MSG (1.6 mg/kg) in aqueous medium by gavage for 35 days. Biochemical indicators of oxidative stress were measured in the rat whole brain homogenates. Statistical analysis was carried out using ANOVA. P ˂ 0.05 was taken as statistical significance. The results of the experiments showed that MSG did not produce as much oxidative stress as malnutrition; MSG merely potentiated the oxidative effect of malnutrition in the rat brain. Gender did not produce a profound oxidative effect. Oxidative stress underlies many of the non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancers and neurodegeneration. It is concluded that MSG when consumed at as low as the studied dose is unlikely to cause neuronal oxidative damage in the rats.