Commercially Available Aspartame-Based Sweetener Damages Morphology of Major Organs Both in Normal and Type 2 Diabetic Rats

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) such as aspartame have become highly popular as sugar substitutes for diabetics. Majority of studies have reported controversial results and used aspartame in its pure form, which is not consumed by people practically. Hence, the present study was aimed at investigating the effects of commercially available aspartame-based sweetener on diabetes related parameters and its associated complications in both normal and type 2 diabetic rats. Seven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, namely: Normal Control (NC), Toxicological Aspartame (TASP), Diabetic Control (DBC) and Diabetic Aspartame (DASP). Type 2 diabetes was induced experimentally in the DBC and DASP groups only and animals with non-fasting blood glucose levels >300 mg/dL were considered as diabetic. During 13 weeks experimental period, the control groups received normal drinking water, whilst TASP and DASP groups were given aspartame-containing NNS solutions, ad libitum, at concentrations equivalent to the sweetness of 20% and 10% sucrose solution, respectively. Treatment with toxicological aspartame resulted in significantly reduced serum fructosamine and creatinine levels in normal rats, when brain, heart, liver, kidney and pancreatic tissue morphologies were significantly damaged in both normal and diabetic rats. The data of this study suggest that although aspartame-based NNS may not have higher degree of detrimental effects on diabetes associated parameters, the significantly damaged morphology of the major organ tissues as well as deterioration of related serum biomarkers both in normal and diabetic conditions raises a concern of its use as a NNS in various food and food products. Disclosure S.N.Dlamini: None. S.Islam: None. Funding South African Sugar Association (Project 233)