Artificial food colorants inhibit superoxide production in differentiated HL-60 Cells

Abstract

We tested synthetic food colorants for their antioxidative potential by the in vitro superoxide generation assay in differentiated HL-60 cells in response tophorbol ester. Among the 12 colorants tested, such fluorescein-type red colorants as rose bengal showed potent inhibitory activity without any cytotoxicity under dark conditions. The intracellular accumulation and superoxide anion scavenging effect of rose bengal were at least partly involved in the inhibitory activity.