Egbuonu Anthony C. Cemaluk and Osakwe Onyinye N
Monosodium glutamate, the sodium salt of glutamate, is a flavor enhancing food additive that may be present in packaged food without appearing on the label. This could lead to inadvertent consumption of monosodium glutamate in high concentration. The study investigated the effects of MSG on some serum markers of lipid status in adult male Wistar rats by daily oral exposure to 3 ml/kg of distilled water and 15 mg/kg of monosodium glutamate for 4 weeks. In the serum, monosodium glutamate treatment significantly (p<0.05) increased cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations, whereas it markedly decreased the computed cholesterol to triacylglycerol and alanine aminotranasferase to aspartate aminotrasferase ratios. These results suggest that exposure to high dose of monosodium glutamate (15 mg/kg), such as through its inadvertent abuse, may alter lipid status in animals by damaging high metabolic organs, such as the liver, resulting in compromised triacylglycerol and cholesterol metabolism. The possible health implications of the study are noteworthy, hence warrant follow up in humans.
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