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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2020 Jan 9.
Published in final edited form as: Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2019 May 8;18(4):1111–1134. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12448

Table 5.

Summary of preclinical studies investigating MSG neurotoxicity

Mode of administration Species MSG dosage/day Duration of administration (days) MSG effect (vs. control) Reference
Oral Mice 10 mg/kg (n=10)
20 mg/kg (n=10)
40 mg/kg (n=10)
80 mg/kg (n=10)		 28 The doses of 40 and 80 mg/kg MSG determined:

  • Neuronal damage in the cerebrum, hippocampus and cerebellum;

  • Increase in plasma glutamate and glutamine, but not in brain tissue;

  • Superoxide dismutase and catalase decrease and nitric oxide increased in brain tissue.

 (Onaolapo et al., 2016)
Subcutaneous Newborn Wistar rats 4 g/kg (n=8) 4 (postnatal days 1, 3, 5, and 7)

  • Induces neuronal death;

  • Alters the expression of hippocampal NMDA receptor subunit NR1, of the AMPA receptor subunits GluR1/GluR2;

  • Increases the expression of the NRSF gene silencing factor via p38-MAPK pathway.

 (Rivera-Cervantes et al., 2014)
Subcutaneous Male Wistar rats 5 mg/kg (n=8) 30

  • Elevation in lipid peroxidation markers;

  • Increase of glutathione-s-transferase, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and gene expression;

  • Decrease in glutathione content;

  • Increased levels of brain and serum cholinesterase, creatin phosphokinase and lactate dehydrogenase;

  • Upregulation of pro-apoptotic Bax in neuronal cells.

 (Sadek et al., 2016)
Subcutaneous CFW strain mice 2 g/kg on the 2nd and 4th postnatal days
4 g/kg, on the 6th, 8th and 10th postnatal days (n=8)		 5 MSG postnatal treatment led to adult mice with:

  • Increased susceptibility of the depressor effect of aminooxyacetic acid;

  • Other effects: obesity (not due to hyperphagia) body and tail length shortening, cryptorchidism.

 (Campos-Sepulveda et al., 2009)
Intraperitoneal Adult female Wistar rats 2 g/kg 7

  • Significant decrease in spontaneous locomotor activity;

  • Impairment of oxidative defense in brain tissue (raised levels of lipid peroxides, nitrite concentration, reduced activities of glutathione-s-transferase and catalase, depletion of glutathione);

  • Alteration of hippocampal neuronal histology;

 (Shivasharan, Nagakannan, Thippeswamy, & Veerapur, 2014)
Intraperitoneal Wistar albino rats of both sexes 2 g/kg 7

  • Behavioral and physiological alterations (precipitation of aggressiveness, decreased locomotor activity and loss of muscle strength);

  • Loss in the hippocampal region, marked cerebral edema, neuronal eosinophilia;

  • Decreased glutathione and reduced the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in brain tissue.

 (Swamy et al., 2014)