ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Tartrazine-induced testicular toxicity: A mini review
Authors
S M Pathan, V T Dhurvey, A M Nagwanshi, A A Sharma
Abstract
Food additives are substances that are
nowadays widely used to protect food, increase shelf life, and improve quality
from the time of production up to the stage of consumption. Synthetic food dyes
are one such category of food additives whose use has been increasing rapidly.
Among them, tartrazine (E102) is a widely used synthetic food dye employed to
impart color to food products. Increasing evidence suggests that tartrazine may
exert adverse effects on male reproductive function, potentially leading to male
sterility. This review summarizes experimental studies evaluating the effects
of sub-chronic tartrazine exposure on male reproductive function. Reported
findings include reductions in body and reproductive organ weights, hormonal
disturbances characterized by decreased testosterone levels and altered
luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, and
significant biochemical alterations. Biochemical parameters consistently
demonstrate enhanced oxidative stress, reflected by increased lipid
peroxidation and nitric oxide levels, along with decreased activities of
antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione.
Histopathological changes, including degeneration of seminiferous tubules, germ
cell loss, Leydig cell damage, and impaired spermatogenesis, are commonly
observed. Collectively, the evidence indicates dose-dependent male reproductive
toxicity of tartrazine, largely mediated through oxidative stress and endocrine
disruption.
Download
Pages:370-377
How to cite this article:
S M Pathan, V T Dhurvey, A M Nagwanshi, A A Sharma "Tartrazine-induced testicular toxicity: A mini review". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 370-377
Download Author Certificate
Please enter the email address corresponding to this article submission to download your certificate.