hazardous effects of the red food colouring substance [new-coccine] on the liver of albino rats

ABSTRACT

The addition of artificial color to food and sweet, consumed by school children, is a field of great health concern in Egypt. The red coloring substance [new coccine] was added to the food and water of albino rats for 6 months. Paraffin sections from the liver of the experimental animals were stained with Hx, E, and PAS reaction. Frozen sections were stained for evaluation of acid phosphatase and succinic dehydrogenase activities. Ultra thin sections for transmission E/M study were also prepared. Hx, E and PAS stains showed disturbance of the architecture of the liver lobules, cellular degeneration, vacuolation of the hepatocytes and depletion of glycogen. Increased acid phosphatase and decreased succinic dehydrogenase activities appeared in frozen sections which were treated for these enzymes. Transmission, E/M sections showed swelling of the mitochondria, rupture of their membranes and cristae