الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract Aspartame (ASP) is an artificial, non-saccharide sweetener composed of a methyl ester of the dipeptide of the natural amino acids L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine. It is widely consumed through usage in production of 6000 items, such as soft drinks, chewing gum, fruit juices, gelatins and jellies. Also, monosodium L- glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of the amino acid, glutamic acid. It is a naturally present excitatory neurotransmitter present at high concentration in brain, mediating fast synaptic transmission in one third of all CNS synapses. It increases the perception of wetness and saltiness as a taste sensation UMAMI and is widely used in many commercial packed food (Maggi Noddles, Knorr Soup etc) and restaurant and household cooking. Both aspartame and glutamate-treatment interfered with brain cogenition, sizures and massive neurotoxicity causing Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, glaucoma and Wernicke’s encephalopathy. Also, galactose is a hexose sugar exists abundantly in milk, dairy products, and many other food types such as fruits and vegetables. Abnormal galactose metabolism can result galactosaemia as a result of abnormal deficiencies of three major enzymes, galactokinase, galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase, and UDP-galactose-4-epimerase. Galactosaemia was associated with neuro-& retinotoxicity. There is no available work concerning detailed information’s of retinal damage and cataractous lenses especially for aspartame and glutamate and overload of galactose. from this point of view, the present work was carried out. Eighty fertile male and virgin female rats (at a ratio of 1 male: 3 females) weighing approximately 150g body weight were used for experimentation. They were (1male/3 females) during overnight and vaginal smears were carried out to give a precise determination of the zero day of gestation. The pregnant rats were arranged into four groups (n=20); control, aspartame-treated group, glutamate-treated group and galactose-treated group. Each of the treated group received daily oral doses of 1g/0.5mL of tap water. Offsprings of both control and experimental groups were obtained at 1,7,14 and 21-day old. Both mothers and their offsprings were sacrificed by diethyl ether, dissected and their retina and lens were separated from ocular regions. |