The Study On General Toxicity Of Ethyl Maltol Complex In Mice

[Objective] Ethyl maltol, a kind of chemosynthetic food additive, is easy to form a stable red-purple complex with iron ions in the process of the production, manufacture and use. In this paper, it was studied that the toxicity, virulence, target position, and the injury degree of ethyl maltol complex in mice, this will provide the scientific foundation for ethyl maltol using in the actual production and daily life.[Methods] This essay established different infected murine animal models according to the way of ethyl maltol using in real-life. Acute toxicity test:according to the results of the preliminary experiments and determined the toxicant doses, control group and the exposed groups (Ⅰ-Ⅵ). After routined breeding for14d, the poisoning symptoms and the time of death were observed and recorded. The LD50and95%confidence limit was calculated according to the modified Karber’s method. Cumulative toxicity tests: Cumulative toxicity tests were with the20days dose escalation accumulation coefficient method, and the exposure scheme was determined according to the results of acute toxicity tests. Conventional breeding, the growth trend and death of mice was observed and recorded, and the test ended at half mice dieing. The accumulation coefficient was calculated by the accumulation coefficient equation. Subchronic toxicity tests: The exposure doses were determined in the control, low dose, middle dose, high dose, the highest dose groups according to the LD50. Ethyl maltol was added into drinking water, and routined breeding for90d, the growth trends were recorded, then urine and blood were examed on day45and90. After90d, blood was sampled by enucleation of eyeball for biochemical examinations of liver function, renal function and SOD, LDH. The mice were executed, then autopsy, the total protein was extracted from the liver and the kidney, also the MDA and GSH-Px expression in tissue were determined.[Result]1. Acute toxicity test:the LD50of ethyl maltol complex was743.88mg/kg,95%confidence limit of LD50was644.17～859.01mg/kg, it was low toxic substances.2. Cumulative toxicity test:the storage coefficient (K) of ethyl maltol complex was3.74, it was moderate toxicity. Compared to the control group, the difference of the body weight on day8was significant (P<0.05). 3. Subchronic toxicity tests:the adding of ethyl maltol were the highest dose group(247.96mg/kg·d),the high dose group(82.65mg/kg·d), the middle dose group (27.55mg/kg·d), the low dose group (9.18mg/kg·d).0-40d, the mice grow fast in highest dose group and high dose group, the difference was significant compared to the control group (P<0.05);40-80d, the mice grow slow or even negative, the difference was significant compared to the control group (P<0.05). The mice liver appeared poisoning symptoms in high dose group. The liver was not toxic but promoted the transformation of protein and absorption, and the excretion function of liver was promoted in middle dose group. The kidney of mice had appeared subchronic toxicity in middle dose group.[Conclusions] Compared to the untreated ethyl maltol, the toxicity of ethyl maltol complex was enhanced not obvious. The accumulation toxicity was enhanced and changed intomoderate toxicity.Because of the accumulation toxicity was enhanced, subchronic toxicity was enhanced obviously. But the low dose would promot the body metabolism, therefore, the usage amount of ethyl maltol should be controlled strictly in using.