Tartrazine (TZ), an extensively used azo dye in various industries, has been linked to multiple health risks, including carcinogenicity, allergenicity, phototoxicity, and mutagenicity. Nonetheless, some studies have established its safety at recommended doses. This research focuses on atorvastatin’s neuroprotective effects against tartrazine-induced toxicity in the cerebral cortex of male mice. The mice were divided into four groups: control, atorvastatin, tartrazine-treated, and a combination of tartrazine and atorvastatin, administered over a month. The results demonstrated that tartrazine exposure increased oxidative stress, indicated by elevated malondialdehyde levels and reduced antioxidant defenses (SOD, GSH). This oxidative stress was coupled with pronounced neuronal inflammation, marked by heightened NF-ĸB and GFAP expression and increased inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1α). Histopathological analysis revealed neuronal damage, including shrinkage and vacuolation. Tartrazine also triggered apoptosis, raising caspase-3 and Bax levels while decreasing Bcl-2. Conversely, atorvastatin coadministration effectively mitigated these adverse effects, showcasing its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties. It improved oxidative markers, reduced inflammation, and preserved synaptic integrity by maintaining synaptophysin levels. The study underscores atorvastatin’s potential as a therapeutic agent to counteract tartrazine-induced prefrontal neurotoxicity, emphasizing its multifaceted protective mechanisms.
Neuroprotective effect of atorvastatin against tartrazine-induced prefrontal cortical neurotoxicity: hating neural oxidation, inflammation, and apoptosis with enhancement in synaptic plasticity
Amira Osman1,2, Yassmin G. Salem3, Sara Abubakr3, Medhat Taha3,4, Hanan A. Elgendy3,5, Mohamed E. Mahmoud6, Shorouk E.M. Elmorshdy7, Dina Abd-Eldaim8, Mohamed A. Shahien9, Tourki A.S. Baokbah10, Kareem G. Al Sayed Ali11, Noha M. Halloull12, Noha H. Sakr13
1 Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El Sheikh 33516, Egypt
2 Department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Medicine, Mutah University, Karak 61710, Jordan
3 Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
4 Department of Anatomy, Al-Qunfudah Medical College, Umm Al-Qura University, Al-Qunfudhah, Saudi Arabia
5 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of medicine, Northern Border university, Arar, Saudia Arabia
6Histology Department, Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Egypt
7Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
8Department of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
9Clinical pharmacology department, Faculty of Medicine, Damitta University, Egypt
10 Department of Medical Emergency Services, College of Health Sciences-AlQunfudah, Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia
11 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine New Damietta, Al Azhar University, Egypt
12Forensic medicine and clinical toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig university, Egypt
13Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kafr Elsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt
