Detect the LD50 of the preservative sodium nitrite (E250) in female rats

Abstract

The present study was conducted to detect the LD50 (median lethal dose) and toxicological effects of a preservative, sodium nitrite (E250), administered orally in female rats. We performed this experiment at the Animal House Facility, College of Education for Girls, University of Kufa, from October 11 to December 16, 2022. Adult female albino rats (Rattus rattus), around 13 weeks of age and weighing between 200 g, were used. On the other hand, the study has precisely estimated the LD50 and toxic dose of sodium nitrite. Twenty-eight female rats were divided into seven groups, with four animals in each group. The variant doses of sodium nitrite groups were administered orally at 20, 30, 45, 70, 100, 130 and160 mg/kg body weight using a gastric gavage tube once a day. The differences in the acute oral toxicity of 70, 100, 130, and 160 mg/kg body weight were significant for female rats dying within the last period after dosing between 24 and 48 hours (the lethal concentrations). A 45 mg/kg body weight dose was the LD50 recorded in female rats, with mortality of half the rats within 48–72 hours. Nevertheless, this dosage eventually killed those remaining rats after a minimum of seven days. Nonetheless, both 30 and 20 mg/kg body weight doses were non-lethal and non-toxic. Therefore, the use of doses under 20 mg/kg (10 and 15 mg/kg body weight) was considered safe for the preservative in products. The study is for the disease of sodium nitrite (E250) in Rattus rattus female LD50 45mg/Kg.