Abstract

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a food additive commonly consumed as a flavor enhancer. However, both animal models and human clinical reports have established its harmful effects. The rats in two groups (A₁ and B₁) were administered with 5.5 g/kg body weight (b.wt) and 2.75 g/kg b.wt of MSG for 14 and 28 days respectively each, while Groups A₂ and B₂ were withdrawal groups for A₁ and B₁ which were sacrificed 14 days post-administration. At the end of the study periods, blood samples were analyzed for hematological parameters. Test results showed significant effect (p<0.05 compared to control) on the neutrophil and lymphocyte count which are indicative of a compromised immune status and poisoning in the treated animals. Packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), mean cell volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values analyzed were all indicative of an anemic condition in the treated animals. These findings support that MSG despite its flavoring functions, is detrimental to health.

Key words: Monosodium glutamate, hematological parameters, neutrophil and lymphocyte count, RBC count, PCV, hemoglobin concentration, MCV, MCH, MCHC, immunity, anemia, automatic hematological assay analyzer.