الفهرس 
Dangers and toxicities associated with food additives and preservatives of food additiveOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) is a water soluble compound, well-known as a principal food preservative and colorant in the food industry. Besides the variety of industrial and medicinal applications, toxicity to humans and animals is well documented after nitrite overexposure. This study was carried out to investigate reproductive toxicity of sodium nitrite and its modulation by ascorbic acid as antioxidant in mice. Sixty adult male albino mice (age 10 weeks) were used in the present study and divided into equal six groups (10 per group). group I used as control group. group II received 100 mg/kg/day ascorbic acid. group III & IV was received 0.016 and 0.032 mg sodium nitrite /g body weight. group V and VI received 0.016 and 0.032 mg sodium nitrite /g body with 100 mg ascorbic acid/kg body weight. All animals were treated orally by gastric intubation for 35 days. The study demonstrated that ascorbic acid ameliorated sodium nitrite alterations in reproductive performance, gonadosomatic index (GSI), testicular weight, sperm count, sperm motility, and sperm morphology and repairing up the recorded histopathological lesions in the testis tissues. Also, forty eight pregnant female mice were divided into equal sex groups (8 per group). group I used as control group. group II received 100 mg/kg ascorbic acid. group III& IV was received 0.016 and 0.032 mg sodium nitrite/g body weight. group V and VI received 0.016 and 0.032 mg sodium nitrite /g body with 100 mg ascorbic acid/kg body weight. Pregnant female mice were orally administered doses at day 8 till 17 of gestation, and scarified on day 18 of gestation. Sodium nitrite treatment during late pregnancy induced maternal toxicity as indicated by reduction in the maternal body weight and incidence of both partial and complete resorption of implants and miscarriage of fetuses. Also, examination of life fetuses from NaNO2 treated dams on 18th day of gestation showed marked fetal growth retardation and a significant increase in the percent of the malformed fetuses per dam and percentage of dams with malformed fetuses. These malformations were clearly recorded in gross morphology and skeleton of the fetuses. Skeletal malformations were observed in sternebrae. Also, assessment of skeletal ossification of life fetuses revealed marked retardation in the major parts of the skeleton. It could be concluded that ascorbic acid treatment can ameliorate the toxic effects of sodium.
Keywords: Sodium nitrite, Mice, Sperm, Reproductive Toxicity, Ascorbic acid.