Effect of Tartrazine and Curcumin Intake on Serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) and Stomach Histopathology in Rats

Objective: Food colorants are known to induce physiological and biochemical changes in tissues, raising concerns about their potential health effects. The purpose of this study was to assess tartrazine's effects and curcumin supplementation on stomach tissue and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels in rats. Methods: Thirty-five male rats were randomly divided into five groups (n=7 per group) and treated via oral gavage for three weeks: Group 1 consisted of a control group, Group 2 of low-dose tartrazine, Group 3 of high-dose tartrazine, Group 4 of low-dose tartrazine + curcumin, and Group 5 of high-dose tartrazine + curcumin. Serum CEA levels were measured and stomach tissues were subjected to histopathological examination. Results: Following tartrazine treatment, serum CEA levels were higher than in the control group; however, this difference was not of statistical significance (p > 0.05). CEA levels were somewhat lowered by co-administration of curcumin. When compared to the control, histopathological investigation showed that all tartrazine-treated groups had degenerated stomach tissues. Hyperkeratosis was notably increased in all experimental groups relative to the control group, with the most pronounced effect observed in Group 5 (p < 0.001). While hyperplasia in Group 2 did not differ significantly from the control (p > 0.05), Groups 3, 4, and 5 exhibited a statistically notable rise (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results show that tartrazine may induce dose-dependent histopathological alterations in stomach tissue, and curcumin may exert a modest protective effect.