Tartrazine and Carmoisine Toxicity in Experimental Rats: A Systematic Review of Multi-Organ and Haematological Effects

Abstract

Background: The study is a systematic review focusing on the tartrazine and carmoisine toxicity on renal, hepatic, pancreatic, glucose metabolism, and haematological indices in albino rats. Method: We systematically reviewed studies published using keywords and short medical terms/phrases between 1978 and 2026 from Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Global Health, and BIOSIS. No restrictions were placed on language or study type. Results: The initial search identified 3,773 unique publications from Google Scholar, PubMed, Cochrane Library, BIOSIS, and Global Health. Of the 3,773 articles, 2050 were excluded due to duplication, while 1628 were further excluded based on review articles, usage of multi-mixture of dyes, experimentation on fish and other animals instead of rats, leaving us a total of 95 full-text articles that were reviewed for eligibility. Of the 95 full-text articles, 39 were included in the study. Based on the systematic reviews, 61%, 26%, and 13% of the papers reviewed were done on tartrazine, carmoisine, and a combination of tartrazine and carmoisine, respectively. The review indicated that 56% of the treatment used ADI doses between 21 and 90 days, while 54% were on high doses between 2 and 300 days. In addition, 54%, 49%, 38% of the studies were on the liver, renal, glucose and pancreatic enzymes, respectively. Moreover, the studies retrieved for the review were categorized as follows: 28% were on acute toxicity studies, 49% on sub-acute studies, and 30% on chronic toxicity studies. Conclusion: The systematic review indicated that the toxicities of tartrazine and carmoisine in rats are significantly reduced in exposed rats at the recommended ADI when used within 30 days. However, toxicological impact on organs and organ markers was observed at ADI doses when the duration of the studies was over 90 days. The systematic review further reveals that the use of high doses, particularly above 5-10 times the ADI dose, despite the duration of study, induces toxicities in the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and haematological parameters.