Evaluation of Systemic Oxidative Damage Following Acute Exposure to the Azo Dye Sudan III in Rats

Abstract

Our study aimed to assess the acute oxidative stress induced by Sudan III, an azo dye frequently misused as an illegal food additive. Twenty-four male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly allocated into three groups (n = 8 per group): Control, Low Dose (125 mg/kg), and High Dose (250 mg/kg). A single oral administration was performed, and oxidative stress biomarkers along with antioxidant defense parameters were analyzed 24h post-exposure. Rats receiving the high dose of Sudan III exhibited significant elevations in total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress ındex (OSI), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA), accompanied by pronounced reductions in total antioxidant status (TAS), native thiol, total thiol, disulfide, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT). These results demonstrate that even short-term exposure to Sudan III provokes systemic oxidative stress and suppresses the antioxidant defense system. Overall, the findings highlight the health risks linked to the illicit use of Sudan III in food products and reinforce the need for stricter regulatory enforcement to ensure consumer safety.

Keywords

• Sudan III
• oxidative stress
• antioxidant defense
• azo dyes
• acute toxicity
• rat model

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