Ameliorative influence of Garcinia kola seed extracts against multiple organ toxicity in monosodium glutamate-administered Wistar rats

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a food additive that can be toxic to multiple organs of the body. It has been demonstrated that Garcinia kola seed has enormous health benefits and protects against exposure to toxicants. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Garcinia kola seed extracts on multi-organ toxicity in MSG-administered rats. Methanol and alkaloid-rich extracts of Garcinia kola seeds (GKME and GKAE, respectively) were prepared and phytochemically characterized using HPLC–DAD. Adult male Wistar rats received 2 g/kg MSG orally for 21 days with or without co-treatment with GKME, GKAE, quercetin, or nicotinic acid. Biochemical analyses were carried out on the plasma, kidney, heart, liver, and the striatum, hippocampus, and cortex of the brain of the rats. Histopathological analysis was also carried out on the tissues and organs. Intoxication with MSG caused marked negative alterations to the levels of liver function markers, kidney function markers, and the lipid profile. MSG administration also produced deleterious effects on biomarkers related to cardiac and neurologic function as echoed by increased atherogenic and coronary risk indices, and altered levels of lactate dehydrogenase, acetylcholinesterase and dopamine. Also, MSG-intoxication evoked oxidative damage in the kidney, heart, liver, and discrete brain regions. These biochemical findings were corroborated by histopathological observation which revealed abnormalities in the tissues of MSG-administered rats. The multiorgan deteriorative and oxidative damage, and the histopathological aberrations of MSG toxicity were mitigated by GKME and GKAE. These findings suggest that Garcinia kola is beneficial in ameliorating MSG-induced toxicity.