LAUSR

Background Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a flavoring agent added to various foods. This experimental study investigated MSG effects on chicken embryos morphology and the possible ameliorative effects of pomegranate peel extracts (PPE) at different incubation periods. Methods Seven hundred and twenty fertilized chicken eggs were used and divided into six groups: control, PPE, MSG, PPE + MSG, preventive (PPE–MSG) and therapeutic (MSG–PPE) groups. Fertile chicken eggs were injected with MSG (0.1 ml) and/or PPE (0.3 ml) twice before incubation at days 0, 1. Embryos were extracted at days 7, 10, 12, 14 and 16. Effects of MSG and/ or PPE on embryo development during different incubation periods were studied. Results MSG injected into embryos led to congenital anomalies that appeared mainly in MSG and MSG + PPE groups. These anomalies included growth retardation, absent eye, abdominal swelling and hernia. Mortality rate was the highest in MSG, then in MSG + PPE and MSG–PPE groups. PPE treatment reduced MSG toxic effects and these results were better in MSG–PPE and PPE–MSG groups than MSG + PPE group. Conclusions MSG injection affected chicken embryonic development causing growth retardation and decline in total body length, break length, and total body weight in all the treated groups. These harmful actions can be ameliorated with PPE treatment depending on embryo age.