Insights into tartrazine-exposure and potential hepatotoxicity

Tartrazine is a synthetic azo-dye abundantly used in food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products. Human exposure to tartrazine occurs primarily through ingestion. Although systemic absorption of tartrazine is limited, the dye undergoes efficient metabolism by intestinal microflora, producing aromatic amine derivatives, some of which exhibit enhanced systemic availability. Experimental data from rodent models and human-based in vitro systems indicate that high dose and prolonged exposure can induce hepatocellular damage. Mechanistic pathways, such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis, may drive the hepatotoxic effects caused by tartrazine and/or its metabolites and may potentially lead to cholestasis. Although tartrazine has been associated with liver toxicity in scientific literature, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This paper provides an overview of the physicochemical properties, applications, regulatory status, exposure pathways and biokinetics of tartrazine and aims to map mechanistic information onto an adverse outcome pathway framework to provide insight into possible underlying mechanisms of its liver toxicity.