European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences. (21): 635-645.
Curcumin (an extract of turmeric) was studied to see if it could protect against the kidney and liver damage expected from the ADI of Tartrazine (Yellow 5) given in the diet.
The Yellow 5 caused significant oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant enzymes, while elevating markers for kidney/liver damage, and causing liver changes including hemorrhage and vacuolization (actual holes).
Giving 2 or 4 g/kg curcumin with the dye almost completely prevented or reversed these effects, but giving only 1 g/kg didn’t help.
The author recommends using curcumin to “moderate potential effects of these artificial dyes” but stresses that decreasing or removing the dyes “is an essential step for the amelioration of human health status and decreasing risk of onset or progression of degenerative diseases.”
PeerJ. 2017 Feb 23;5: e3041. This study was done to evaluate the possible adverse effects of the color Tartrazine (Yellow 5) on kidney and liver function and structure in rats, as well as its affect on white blood cells. For 30 days, in addition to their normal food, rats in…
Toxicology and Industrial Health, 2013. March; 29(2): 224-32. doi: 10.1177/0748233711433935 The researchers wanted to evaluate the toxic effect of some synthetic colorants and/or flavors on body organs and metabolism in rats. They used 10 groups of 10 male albino rats each. All rats were fed the same basic diet, with…
Toxicology Reports. 5: 146-155. This was not a test of tartrazine (Yellow 5) - they already knew it would be toxic. Rats in the “positive control” group (given Yellow 5) had elevated liver enzymes, cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as pathological changes in the liver, kidney, testes and stomach. The…
European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences. (21): 635-645.
