Short-term Effect of Monosodium glutamate on serum hormonal level and histological changes of uterus during estrus phase in rat

Abstract Background Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is commonly used in the Middle East and worldwide as a flavour enhancer in food. MSG is called Chinese salt and is commonly used by the food processing industry, restaurants, and institutional services. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of monosodium glutamate on the uterine tissue of adult female Sprague Dawley rats with a regular estrus cycle. Results The mean relative values of progesterone and estrogen to the control in the MSG-treated animal group significantly affect (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. The means of the relative lumen area (um2) showed smaller than the control group. Conclusions MSG may cause disturbance in serum progesterone and estrogen levels in young female rats. So, a precautionary utilised for this compound, especially for females under risk factor of hormonal abnormality, is recommended. Further study should be conducted to evaluate the effect of MSG on corpus lutea function.