Aspartame (ASP), a low-calorie artificial sweetener, is a methyl
ester of a dipeptide. It can cause serious health problems as its
metabolites can be toxic to many organs. The current study
aimed to evaluate the toxicity of ASP on the rats' fetal tissues.
Thirty-five pregnant female albino rats (Rattus norvegicus
domestica) were randomly allotted into 5 groups (n=7): the
control group received orally distilled water; groups "1 and 2"
received orally/daily 250 and 500 mg ASP/kg body weight
(dissolved in distilled water), respectively, on the 1st
– 7
th days
of pregnancy; and groups "3 and 4" received orally/daily 250
and 500 mg ASP/kg body weight (dissolved in distilled water),
respectively, on the 8th
– 20th days of pregnancy. The fetal body
weight and length decreased significantly in groups "2, 3, and
4" only. However, the mortality rate increased especially in
groups "2 and 4", which received the high doses of ASP. Major
skeletal abnormalities seen in the fetuses included inadequate
ossification of the skull, vertebrae, and pectoral and pelvic
girdles with their fore and hind limbs in all groups. The ASP
changed the usual architecture of the hepatic parenchyma tissue
in all treated groups. The kidneys of ASP-treated groups
demonstrated histopathological alterations. The high doses in
the first and the second periods of pregnancy had the most
chronic effect than the low doses.