Cover
Vol. 15 No. 2 (2025)

Published: December 31, 2025

Pages: 1-10

Articles

Effect of monosodium glutamate on female reproductive histology in mice embryo

Nisreen Khazaal Flayyih 1 Zahraa Ali Mohammed Wasan Hamad Jasim ManarAl-Hoda Zaid Mahmood Ban Thabit Zahraa Alzaidi Alaa Ismael Mejbel
1High Institute of Infertility Diagnosis and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Al-Nahrain University, Baghdad, Iraq.
History
  • Received: August 7, 2025
  • Accepted: November 30, 2025
  • Available Online: December 20, 2025
DOI

https://doi.org/10.28969/IJEIR.v15.i2.r1.25

Abstract

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a widely used flavor enhancer in many foods. However, excessive consumption during pregnancy may adversely affect embryonic development and reproductive functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of maternal MSG consumption during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes and the reproductive system of female offspring in mice. Thirty adult pregnant female mice, aged 42–49 days, were used in this study. The animals were equally divided into two groups: an experimental group (G1) and a control group (G2). The experimental group received MSG extract orally at a dose of 1 mg/kg body weight dissolved in 1 ml of distilled water (D.W.) throughout the three weeks of pregnancy, whereas the control group received 1 ml of distilled water alone for the same duration. After delivery, litter size and litter weight were recorded. Forty days after birth, the weights of the female reproductive organs were measured, and the diameters of the ovaries and oviducts were assessed. In addition, blood samples were collected for the evaluation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and estradiol (E2) levels in both groups. The experimental group showed a significant reduction in litter size and a significant decrease in litter weight compared with the control group. Female offspring born to MSG- treated mothers also exhibited a significant decrease in reproductive organ weight, ovarian diameter, and oviduct diameter. Furthermore, significant reductions in the levels of FSH, LH, and estradiol were observed in the experimental group. Maternal consumption of MSG during pregnancy may negatively affect pregnancy outcomes and impair the development and function of the reproductive system in female offspring.

Keywords

References

  1. Bera, T. K., Chatterjee, K., & Ghosh, D. (2023). Monosodium glutamate consumption and health implications: an updated review. Food Chemistry Advances, 3, 100412 .
  2. Jinap, S., & Hajeb, P. (2021). Glutamate. Its applications in food and contribution to health. Appetite, 156, 104939 .
  3. Walker, R., & Lupien, J. R. (2020). The safety evaluation of monosodium glutamate. Journal of Nutrition, 130(4S Suppl), 1049S–1052S .
  4. Kazmi, Z., Fatima, I., & Perveen, S. (2023). Toxicological effects of excessive monosodium glutamate consumption: A review of recent evidence. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(18), 52110–52125 .
  5. Niaz, K., Zaplatic, E., & Spoor, J. (2022). Extensive use of monosodium glutamate: A threat to public health? EXCLI Journal, 21, 273–278 .
  6. Onyema, O. O., Farombi, E. O., & Emerole, G. O. (2023). Chronic monosodium glutamate administration induces metabolic and reproductive toxicity in animal models. Human & Experimental Toxicology, 42, 9603271231154210.
  7. Bhowmik, S., Dutta, S., & Roy, M. (2022). Maternal nutrition and fetal organogenesis: role of environmental and dietary factors. Frontiers in Nutrition, 9, 842615 .
  8. Albrahim, T., & Binobead, M. A. (2021). Maternal exposure to food additives during pregnancy and fetal developmental toxicity. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 28(5), 3124–3131 .
  9. Abd-Elkareem, M., Abdel-Hamid, N., & Omar, N. (2023). Placental oxidative stress and fetal developmental alterations following maternal exposure to monosodium glutamate. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 98, 104056 .
  10. Singh, K., Sharma, A., & Verma, P. (2022). Prenatal exposure to monosodium glutamate causes endocrine and metabolic disturbances in maternal and fetal tissues. Toxicology and Industrial Health, 38(9), 551– 560.
  11. Mohamed, H. R., Abdelrahman, M. A., & Ibrahim, M. A. (2024). Long-term reproductive consequences of prenatal monosodium glutamate exposure: current evidence and future perspectives. Environmental Toxicology, 39(2), 455–468 .
  12. Shosha HM, Ebaid HM, Toraih EA, et al. Effect of monosodium glutamate on fetal development and progesterone level in pregnant Wistar Albino rats. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2023;30:49779-49797
  13. Nnadozie JO, Chijioke CP, et al. Effect of monosodium glutamate on fetal development and pregnancy outcome in Wistar rats. J Exp Clin Anat. 2019;18(2):45- 50.
  14. Onyema OO, Farombi EO, Emerole GO, et al. Effect of vitamin E on monosodium glutamate induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2006;43(1):20-24.
  15. Šefčíková Z, Špirková A, Kovaříková V, et al. The consumption of monosodium glutamate during the periconceptional period can impair preimplantation embryo development. Reprod Toxicol. 2025;137:109014.
  16. Gad El-Hak HN, Abdelrazek HMA, Zeidan DW, et al. Assessment of changes in the liver of pregnant female rats and their fetuses following monosodium glutamate administration. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2021;28:44432-44441.
  17. Zainab Wisam Abduljaleel Alia Hussein Ali .Effect of Monosodium Glutamate on Female Hormonal Status and Histological Changes in Ovary Uterus and Reproductive Role of Cobalamin February 2022NeuroQuantology 20(2):339-350
  18. Mukti Mondal 1, Kaushik Sarkar 1 Monosodium glutamate suppresses the female reproductive function by impairing the functions of ovary and uterus in rat, 2018 Feb;33(2):198-208 .
  19. Haddad M, Esmail R, Khazali H. Reporting The Effects of Exposure to Monosodium Glutamate on The Regulatory Peptides of The Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Gonadal Axis. Int J Fertil Steril. 2021 Oct;15(4):246-251 .
  20. Devine, P. J., & Perreault, S. D. (2012). Roles of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants in ovarian toxicity. Biology of Reproduction, 86(2), 27. The authors described how reactive oxygen species damage ovarian granulosa cells and impair estrogen synthesis.Biology of Reproduction
  21. Othman, S. A. L., & Suliman, R. (2020). How pectin play a role in histological changes by monosodium glutamate (MSG) in the ovary of mice? Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences, 23(9), 1146–1153.
  22. Abbasi, P., Kalhoro, R., Memon, R., et al. (2025). Investigating the antioxidant effect of vitamin E against MSG induced oxidative stress on ovaries of Wistar albino rats. Journal of Peoples University of Medical & Health Sciences Nawabshah, 15(1), 64–70 .
  23. Agarwal, A., Gupta, S., & Sharma, R. K. (2005). Role of oxidative stress in female reproduction. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 3, 28. This review explained that oxidative stress disrupts ovarian steroidogenesis, follicular development, and hormone production in females.Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology
  24. Gupta, S., Malhotra, N., Sharma, D., & Agarwal, A. (2010). Oxidative stress and its role in female infertility and assisted reproduction. International Journal of Fertility & Sterility, 4(3), 107–116 .
  25. Mahfoudh A.M. Abdulghani, Salah Abdulrazak Alshehade,Sareh Kamran ,Mohammed Abdullah Alshawsh Effect of monosodium glutamate on serum sex hormones and uterine histology in female rats along with its molecular docking and in- silico toxicity
  26. Ruder, E. H., Hartman, T. J., Blumberg, J., & Goldman, M. B. (2008). Oxidative stress and antioxidants: exposure and impact on female fertility. Human Reproduction Update, 14(4), 345–357.