Induction of giant cells by the synthetic food colorants viz. lemon yellow and orange red

Cytotoxicity and giant cell formation induced by lemon yellow and orange red synthetic food colorants were evaluated in the present study. The aqueous solutions of both the dye solutions were tested for cytotoxicity using Allium cepa assay. Frequency of giant cells were determined after treating the root tips with different concentrations of both food colorant solutions viz., 0.005, 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 % for varying time durations (1/2, 1, 2, 3 h). These colorants may cause giant cell formation primarily by interfering with the normal course of mitosis. Giant cells showing multiple aberrations viz. bridged and binucleate condition, cellular fragmentation, nuclear lesion, double and multiple nuclear lesions, double nuclear peaks and cellular breakage, elongated nucleus, nuclear budding, hyperchromasia, micronucleus, nuclear erosion, pulverized nucleus etc. were induced in root tips treated with both of the colorants. The synthetic food colorant treated cells showed inhibition of cell division and induction of giant cells. A dose dependant decrease in the mitotic index [88.20 % (c^?ve, 3h) to 81.54 % (Lx₄, 3h) and 88.20 % (c^?ve, 3h) to 73.17 % (Ox₄, 3h)] was observed. All mitotic phases show significant induction of giant cells when treated with both food colorants. Interphase stage shows higher percentage of giant cells, whereas in cytokinesis it was negligible. The orange red food colorant is observed to be more toxic because it recorded higher percentage of giant cell induction when compared with lemon yellow [27.93 % (Lx₄, 3h) and 28.07 % (Ox₄, 3h)].