Artificial sweeteners elicit oxidative stress in rat brain and development of microcytic anemia: Promising protective effects of vitamin C

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sodium cyclamate and saccharine combination on the overall hematological parameters and brain catalase activity in Wistar rats. During a period of 8 weeks, the animals were given the artificial sweeteners in a low (L; 15,4 mg/mL) and high dose (H; 22 mg/mL). Additionally, to determine whether vitamin C can attenuate the changes induced by high doses, it was administered to a third group of animals (H + vit C; 22 mg/mL+25 mg/mL). Decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin values, low erythrocyte count and mean cell volume in the groups treated with the artificial sweeteners were the main hematological changes causing microcytic anemia. Catalase activity in brain tissue decreased with the increase of the sweeteners dose, which clearly indicates the induction of oxidative stress. Further on, catalase was significantly increased in the H + vit C group compared to the H group but there was no significant difference compared to controls. Collectively, these results suggest that sodium cyclamate and saccharine induced considerable alterations in the hematology, an increased consumption of catalase and a high efficiency of vitamin C to ameliorate the oxidative stress.