A study on the reproductive toxicity of erythrosine in male mice

Worldwide usage of different colouring agents in the food industry prompted us to study their toxicity, The potential adverse effects of erythrosine (ER, FD & C Red No.3) on the spermatogenesis process were investigated in adult mice. Testicular lactic dehydrogenase isoenzyme activity (LDH-X), a pachytene spermatocyte marker of testicular toxicity, was significantly decreased to 71.8% and 68.6% of the control value after daily p,o. administration of ER (21 days) in doses of 68 and 136 mg kg(-1) respectively. At the same time, the normal average epididymal sperm count as well as the percentage of motile sperms were significantly inhibited by about 50% and 57% respectively. Moreover, ER was shown to disrupt the normal morphology of the sperm head. Thus, after 5 daily p,o administrations of ER in doses of 680 and 1360 mg kg(-1)(equivalent to 10 and 20% of its LD50) it increased the incidence of sperms with abnormal head by about 57% and 65% respectively. The induced increase in sperm abnormalities could enhance the spermatogenic dysfunction and germ cell mutagenicity. These findings indicate that ER in the used doses has a potential toxic effect on spermatogenesis in mice and in turn, it may affect its testicular function and reproductive performance. (C) 1997 The Italian Pharmacological Society.