Anti-hyperuricemia activity and its mechanism of flavonoid extract from saffron floral bio-residues / 中国中药杂志

A hyperuricemic rat model induced by adenine and ethambutol was established to investigate the anti-hyperuricemia activity and its mechanism of the flavonoid extract from saffron floral bio-residues. Sixty-seven SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, positive control group, and flavonoid extract groups(with 3 doses), respectively, and each group contained 11 or 12 rats. The hyperuricemic model was established by continuous oral administration of adenine(100 mg·kg~(-1)) and ethambutol(250 mg·kg~(-1)) for 7 days. At the same time, the positive control group was given allopurinol(20 mg·kg~(-1) per day) and the flavonoid extract groups were given the flavonoid extract at doses of 340, 170 and 85 mg·kg~(-1) per day, respectively. On day 8, rat serum, liver, kidney, and intestinal tissues were collected, and the levels of uric acid in serum and tissue, the xanthine oxidase activities and antioxi-dant activities in serum and liver were evaluated, and the kidney histopathology was explored. In addition, an untargeted serum metabolomics study was performed. According to the results, the flavonoid extract effectively reduced the uric acid levels in serum, kidney and ileum and inhibited the xanthine oxidase activities and elevated the antioxidant activities of serum and liver in hyperuricemic rat. At the same time, it reduced the levels of inflammation factors in kidney and protected renal function. Moreover, 68 differential metabolites of hyperuricemic rats were screened and most of which were lipids and amino acids. The flavonoid extract significantly retrieved the levels of differential metabolites in hyperuricemic rats, such as SM(d18:1/20:0), PC[18:0/18:2(92,12Z)], palmitic acid and citrulline, possibly through the following three pathways, i.e., arginine biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and histidine metabolism. To sum up, the flavonoid extract of saffron floral bio-residues lowered the uric acid level, increased the antioxidant activity, and alleviated inflammatory symptoms of hyperuricemic rats, which may be related to its inhibition of xanthine oxidase activity and regulation of serum lipids and amino acids metabolism.

Cardioprotective of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis / 数字中医药（英文）

Objective@#To investigate the cardioprotective effect of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) treatment as a potential supplement on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).@*Methods@#Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were applied to analyze articles retrieved from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and China Biology Medicine (CBM) with a publication time span from January 15, 2015 to March 20, 2023. The articles were published in English only, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on adult patients who were diagnosed with T2DM, and received either Saffron or placebo treatment. Meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 software. The present study was registered on the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with a registration number as CRD42023443180.@*Results@#Seven RCTs with 455 patients were included in the study. The data revealed that Saffron treatment significantly reduced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (P = 0.008) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) (P = 0.04) levels compared with what placebo did in T2DM patients. No significant differences were shown in the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, malondialdehyde (MDA), high serum C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), lipid profile, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) between Saffron and placebo ( P > 0.05) .@*Conclusion@#Saffron treatment has a cardioprotective effect in T2DM patients by reducing TNF-α and FBG levels. However, the potential anti-oxidant, anti-hypertensive, and anti-dyslipidaemia effects of the phytochemical need to be further investigated.

Anti-tumor mechanism study on saffron by network pharmacology and reverse molecular docking / 药学实践杂志

Objective To explore the anti-tumor mechanism of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by network pharmacology and reverse molecular docking techniques. Methods The main chemical components of saffron were obtained by searching published literature and TCMSP database. The potential targets of these components were predicted using PharmMapper server. The corresponding target genes were identified from UniProt database. The underlying anti-tumor targets of saffron were obtained by mapping the disease genes of cancer or tumor with GeneCards, OMIM and TTD databases. Cytoscape software was used to construct the action target network of saffron active components. The protein-protein interaction analysis was performed by String database, and the GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed by Metascape platform. Finally, molecular docking was performed to evaluate the binding of main components with their potential targets. Results A total of 9 active ingredients in saffron including quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, picrocrocin and crocin I, were identified, which might act on 37 key targets including AKT1, CCND1, MMP9, EGFR, TP53, involved in P53, TNF and other signaling pathways. Molecular docking indicated modest binding potency through hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic interactions. Conclusion The anti-tumor effect of saffron was evaluated via the network of components-targets-pathways, which might provide a foundation for further research.

Investigating the Effect of Saffron on Anxiety, Fatigue, Labor Pain and Vaginal Childbirth: Review Article

@#Saffron and its active ingredients were found effective in the management of pain due to neurological and inflammatory causes. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of saffron on anxiety, fatigue and pain during labor progress. In this review study, articles in Persian and English language indexed in reputable databases, including Irandoc, Iranmedx, SID, Google scholar, Magiran, Scopus, web of science and PubMed were searched Articles that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed qualitatively. Out of 34040 studies, 6 articles were included. The mean score of anxiety and fatigue, active phase length score of the first and second stages of delivery were lower in the saffron consumer group compared to pharmacotherapy group. Saffron can increase cervical ripening in term pregnancies. Saffron had abortive effects. Saffron can be used as a facilitator of labour and a natural analgesic for labor pains.

Mechanisms of saffron in treatment of depression based on network pharmacology / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the main pathways and possible mechanisms of saffron in treatment of depression using network pharmacology. Methods A network of active components of saffron-depression disease target was constructed through the TCM System Pharmacology Database (TCMSP), Genecards, Uniprot database, Cytoscape software, and ClueGo analysis tool, and GO biological process and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed, and molecular docking verification was carried out using Autodock vina software. Results The five main chemical components quercetin, kaempferol, crocealdehyde, crocetin, and isorhamnetin may pass through the IL-17 signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and Toll-like inflammatory pathways such as receptor signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, relaxin signaling pathway, Thl7 cell differentiation and other pathways, playing an antidepressant effect. In the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and MAPK signaling pathway, the targets of saffron for depression were mainly enriched in multiple targets such as BD-NF, TNF, IL-1, IL-6, MAPK8, JUN, GSK3B, N0S3 and so on. The results of molecular docking verification indicated a good docking effect of saffron and crocetin with the BDNF target in the antidepressant pathway of saffron. Conclusions The mechanism of saffron treatment of depression is mainly reflected in the regulation of neurotrophic factors, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxida-tive stress, etc., providing a theoretical basis for clinical application.

Analysis of flavonoids from saffron floral bio-residues / 中国中药杂志

In order to better utilize saffron floral bio-residues(SFB), a qualitative and quantitative analysis of flavonoids in SFB was conducted using UPLC-MS and UPLC, respectively. On the one hand, 50 flavonols and 5 anthocyanins were putatively characte-rized by using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. On the other hand, an UPLC method was established for determining the fingerprint of SFB as well as testing the main flavonoids kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside and delphinidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside. Contents of kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside and delphinidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside of 10 batches of samples were 44.21-58.73 mg·g~(-1) and 2.11-6.37 mg·g~(-1), respectively, and the similarities of 10 batches were more than 0.99. In addition, the color of the samples was digitized by using electronic eye technology, and it was found that the color of the samples was significantly correlated with the content of delphinidin-3,5-di-O-glucoside. The richness of flavonoids in SFB indicated its potential for development and utilization, and the large variation in anthocyanin content among samples from different regions suggested that more attention should be paid to the methods of sample pretreatment and storage.

Synergism Between Probiotics And Herbs To Manage Type 2 Diabetes In Rats

Objective: This study aims to explore the adjuvant effect of multi-strain probiotics with either saffron, cardamom, ginger, or cinnamon herbs to achieve synergistic management for controlling type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: Eighty-eight adult male, Wistar rats were used. Eight rats were kept as healthy control. Eighty rats were used to induce type 2 diabetic rats (T2DR) and were randomly assigned to ten groups. One group was an offer to 0.2 ml multi-strain probiotics orally. The rest of T2DR were gavage with 100 mg/kg aqueous extract of saffron, cardamom, ginger, or cinnamon without or with 0.2 ml multi-strain probiotics orally. Bodyweight gain (BWG), and feed efficiency ratio (FER) were recorded. Determination of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), serum insulin, C-peptide, HDL, LDL, HDL/total cholesterol ratio were performed. Serum antioxidant activity, Th1and Th2 cytokines and histopathology of the pancreas were done. Results: Comparable with T2DR, solely multi-strain probiotics or with herbs caused a significant reduction in BWG (P<0.05). Groups fed saffron, cardamom, and ginger and enriched with multi-strain probiotic showed significant improvement in OGTT, serum insulin, C-peptide and lipid abnormalities (P<0.05) compared to T2DR. Besides, they had antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The group received ginger alone exerted anti-hyperglycemia and anti-inflammatory effects. However, cinnamon had a moderate anti-diabetic effect and solely probiotics did not show a significant benefit for all parameters except BWG. Conclusion: Cardamom, saffron, and ginger enriched with multi-strain probiotics achieve a synergistic relationship for managing T2D. This finding exhibits a possible new hypothesis to manage diabetes that needs further study.

Cloning, bioinformatics, expression mode analysis of crocetin glycosyltransferase UGTCs4 / 中草药

Objective: With the aim to obtain crocetin glycosyltransferase UGTCs4 in cultured saffron suspension cell, and carry out its bioinformatics and expression mode analysis. Methods: A homologous cloning strategy and 5’ RACE methods were adopted, the full-length cDNA sequence of a crocetin glycosyltransferase, designated UGTCs4 (GeneBank number: KX398932), was obtained. The characteristics of physiochemical properties, structure and function of the deduced UGTCs4 protein were determined using a series of bioinformatics tools. Semi-quantitative PCR was used for gene expression analysis. Results: The results showed that the full length cDNA of UGTCs4 was 1 380 bp in length and encoding a 459 amino acid; UGTCs4 had high identities (83.2%) with UGTCs2 protein from saffron; UTGTCs4 had the same evolutionary tree as UGTCs2. UGTCs4 transcripts were constitutively expressed in the leaves, stems, and roots. UGTCs4 gene could respond to multiple treatments of indoleacetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and methyl jasmonate (MJA), which promoted its transcription. Conclusion: cDNA of crocetin glycosyltransferase was cloned from suspension cells for the first time and the response of UGTCs4 to different inducers was confirmed. Molecular characterization of UGTCs4 will be useful for further functional determination of the gene involving in the crocin biosynthesis and expression regulation.

Mechanism of saffron in treating atherosclerosis based on network pharmacology method / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

AIM: To investigate the active components and potential mechanism of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in inhibiting atherosclerotic lesion by using network pharmacological method. METHODS: TCMSP database was used to systematically analyze the active components of saffron. At the same time, GeneCards and OMIM databases were used to analyze the genes and proteins according to atherosclerosis mechanism. A follow-up analysis was establishing drug-compound-disease-target network. The potential targets were analyzed for protein interactions, and gene enrichment analysis was carried out by GO and KEGG. Molecular docking was carried out between characteristic ingredients of saffron and its key targets. RESULTS: A total of 5 effective components and 272 genes were screened in saffron used oral bioavailability (OB)>30% and drug likeness (DL)>0.18 as the screening conditions. 26 targets of multiple compounds acting together and 50 targets of a single compound were screened from drug-compound-disease-target network. 19 targets, 99 enrichment results and 116 pathways were screened by protein interactions, GO and KEGG gene enrichment analysis respectively. Molecular docking results showed that all 5 active components could be bind with spontaneously VCAM-1 or eNOS, which are representative proteins of fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis pathway. Isorhamnetin had the lowest binding energy with VCAM-1, and kaempferol had the lowest binding energy with eNOS. CONCLUSION: The results preliminarily verified the main activity components and pharmacology mechanism in saffron and provided a good foundation for further study on the antiatherosclerotic mechanism of saffron.

Saffron (Crocus sativus) aqueous extract reverses the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae, has been used worldwide in traditional medicinefor treatment ofsome neurological disorderssuch as depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental disorder developed in peoplewho experience stressful events. Since stress has been proposed tocause thehypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis malfunction in post-traumatic stress disorder patients, this study aimed at investigating the effect of saffron aqueous extract on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in rats of post-traumatic stress disorder model. Here, Post-traumatic stress disorder animals received an acute electro foot shock; however, 5 min before the stress session, these animals received an intra-cerebral-ventricular (10 µg/rat) infusion of either saffron aqueous extract or saline. Twenty one days later, they were re-exposedto the stress box withoutinducing stress, andthen were examined for their freezing behavior. The impact of stress and saffron aqueous extract on serum corticosterone, corticotrophin releasing hormone gene expression in hypothalamus and glucocorticoid receptor gene expression in pituitary gland werethen evaluated on day 28. Intra-cerebral-ventricular injection of saffron aqueous extract resulted in an increase in serum corticosterone level and reduced symptoms of freezing behavior, and corticotrophin releasing hormone and glucocorticoid receptor gene expression in post-traumatic stress disorder groups.Saffron administration could improve the symptoms of stress-induced post-traumatic stress disorder, possiblythrough the adjustment ofhypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function.

Color Stability of Composite Resin after Immersion in Local Kashmiri Staining Solutions and Beverages

Introduction: Long term success of any composite resinrestorative materials mainly depends on their color stability.The aim of the investigation was to examine the color stabilityof three resin-based composite materials with a high contentof inorganic filling material (Spectrum, Filtrex Z350 andTetric N Ceram).Material and Methods: Changes in color of test sampleswere determined after complete immersion in test solutionsused primarily in Kashmiri population viz. Kashmiri tea,Saffron Kehwa and a turmeric solution. Color differenceswere measured by using a spectrophotometer and CIE L*a*b*color scale and the total amount of color difference wasrepresented as ∆E.Results: For all composite resins, Turmeric solution causedthe most severe cases of discoloration (∆E > 8.25). Kashmiritea and Saffron Kehwa caused invisible (∆E <1) or visible (∆E>1) discoloration. In some samples clinically unacceptable(∆E > 3.3) discoloration was noted.Conclusion: No significant difference was found amongthe composite resins or between color values of specimensimmersed in Kashmiri tea or Saffron kehwa. Immersingspecimens in turmeric solution caused greater color changein all types of composite resins tested. It is apparent from theresults that it is essential to improve the color stability of thecomposite resin materials used in esthetic zone

Effect of saffron aqueous extract on the level of blood glucose in experimental diabetes mice / 中国应用生理学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To investigate the effects of saffron aqueous extract (SE) on blood glucose, lipid and pancreatic tissue in streptozocin-induced diabetes mice.@*METHODS@#Diabetes mellitus mice were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (60 mg/kg) for two consecutive days. The 30 well-established diabetes mice were randomly divided into three groups(=10):diabetic mellitus (DM) group, SE treated (SE) group and positive control (metformin hydrochloride, MH) group. Another ten normal mice were selected as normal control (NC) group. The mice in SE and MH groups were intragastrically administered with SE 100 mg/kg or MH 100 mg/kg once a day for 6 weeks, mice in DM and NC were given normal saline. The amount of food-intake, water consumption and body weight were measured weekly, the changes of the indicators including fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose-tolerance test (OGTT), glycated serum protein (GSP), insulin (INS) and blood lipid were determined after 6 weeks of continuous administration. The pathologic changes in the pancreas tissues were detected by HE staining.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the normal control group, the amount of food-intake, water consumption, area under the curve, FBG, GSP, and total cholesterol (TC) were significantly increased, while fasting weight, INS and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) were dramatically decreased in DM group. Compared with DM group, the water consumption, FBG, area under the curve and TC in SE group were starkly declined with a notable elevation of HDL-c and INS. In addition, the biopsy from DM mice showed the structure of pancreas islet was destroyed and reduced, and vascular proliferation with irregular shape. The damaged pancreas was obviously repaired by giving SE.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The saffron aqueous extract had efficacy on blood glucose and blood lipids reduction, improvement on damaged pancreas in streptozocininduced diabetic mice, which suggested that saffron could be used for the treatment in diabetes.

Protective effects of saffron against zearalenone-induced alterations in reproductive hormones in female mice (Mus musculus) / 대한생식의학회지

OBJECTIVE: Zearalenone (ZEA) is a mycotoxin with potent estrogenic effects. Saffron is an herbal product that has antioxidant activities. The objective of this study was to investigate the protective role of saffron against reproductive toxicity induced by ZEA in female mice. METHODS: Ninety 8-week-old female mice were randomly allocated into three treatment groups. The first group received an intraperitoneal injection of ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days. The second group received ZEA (2.5 mg/kg) on alternate days plus oral saffron daily (50 mg/kg). The third group was treated with a vehicle of 1% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on alternate days, as a control. Ten mice were euthanized from each group at 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P) were assessed. The uterus and ovaries were examined for changes in size or morphology. RESULTS: Serum levels of LH, FSH, E2, and P in the female mice treated with ZEA plus saffron were significantly higher than in those treated with ZEA alone, and were not significantly different from those treated with 1% DMSO. The female mice treated with ZEA alone showed a reduction in size of the uterus and abnormal architecture of the ovaries. CONCLUSION: The administration of saffron to female mice resulted in a significant reduction in ZEA-induced alterations in reproductive hormone levels, the size of the uterus, and the morphology of the ovaries.

Neuroprotective effects of saffron on chronic focal cerebral ischemia through inhibiting glial scar formation in rats / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To explore the neuro-protective effects of saffron (Crocus satius L.) on chronic focal cerebral ischemia in rats.METHODS SD rats were randomly divided into 6 groups:sham control group,MCAO group,edaravone group and saffron 30,100,300 mg·kg-1groups.Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO).Saffron was administered orally by once daily from 2 h to 42 d after ischemia. At 42 d after cerebral ischemia, neurological deficit score, spontaneous activity test,elevated plus maze test,marble burying test and novel objective recognition test were used to evaluate the effects of saffron on the behevioural change. Infarct volume, survival neuron density, activated astrocyte number, and the thickness of glial scar were also detected. GFAP expression and inflammatory cytokine contents in ischemic peripheral region were detected by Western blot and ELISA,separately.RESULTS Saffron(100,300 mg·kg-1)improved the body weight decrease, neurological deficit and spontaneous activity. Saffron (30-300 mg·kg- 1) increased the traveled distance ratio and total time in open arm, decreased the buried marble number, which indicated that saffron could ameliorate anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Saffron (100, 300 mg·kg-1)improved the learning and memory function,which manifested by increased discrimination ratio(DR)and discrim-ination index (DI) in T2test. The results of toluidine blue found saffron treatment (100, 300 mg·kg-1) decreased the infarct volume and increased the neuron density in cortex and hippocampal.The activated astrocyte number,the thickness of glial scar and GFAP expression in ischemic peripheral region decreased after saffron. Saffron (100, 300 mg·kg-1) decreased the contents of IL-6 and IL-1β, increased the content of IL-10 in ischemic peripheral region.CONCLUSION Saffron exerted neuro-protective effects on chronic focal cerebral ischemia,which could be related with inhibiting the activation of astrocyte and glial scar,following with the decrease of inflammatory reaction.

Saffron:a potential immunological adjuvant in anti-tumor therapy / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

A large and increasing number of patients in the world use medicinal plants and herbs for health purposes.Especially,chemoprevention using readily available natural substances from vege-tables,fruits,herbs and spices is one of the significantly important approaches for cancer prevention in the present era. Saffron is native to Iran and now recorded in "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" as a widely used Chinese medicine with good safety. Other than several useful pharmacological effects such as anticonvulsant, antidepressant, anti-inflammation, saffron and its active components (crocin, crocetin and safranal)have been shown to induce apoptosis in several tumor cell lines and mouse tumors with beneficial properties including radical scavenging, anti-mutagenic and immuno-modulating effects. In addition,saffron was reported good potential to alleviate the toxicity ofcisplatin,including the nephrotox-icity.However,the application of these components in the clinic has been limited due poor clinical trials data. This review aimed to provide a brief overview on clinical evaluation for anti-tumor potential and current molecule mechanism of saffron based on recent literature data.

Effect of extraction of saffron crocus on mitochondrial dynamics in ischemia/reperfusion rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the protection mecha-nism of the extraction of the saffron crocus in ischemia/reperfusion rats. Methods Hematoxylin-eosin stai-ning, electron microscopy, and neurological assess-ments were performed in a transient middle cerebral ar-tery occlusion ( tMCAO ) rat model. The role of dy-namin-related protein 1 ( Drp1 ) and optic atrophy 1 ( Opa1 ) , the two key regulators of mitochondrial fis-sion and fusion in ischemic brain damage in vivo were observed. Results In ischemia/reperfusion rats, the extraction of the saffron crocus increased the level of protein Opa1 and decreased the level of protein Drp1 . Conclusions Inhibition of Drp1 and promotion of Opa1 , which means to maintain balancing mitochondri-al dynamics, is proposed as an efficient strategy for neuroprotection against ischemic brain damage.

Proteomic analysis of saffron (Crocus sativus L. ) grown under conditions of cadmium toxicity / Análise proteômica do açafrão (Crocus sativus L. ) cultivado sob condições de toxicidade por cádmio

Cd is a highly detrimental global environmental pollutant. Plants have evolved complex defense mechanisms as an adaptation to against Cd toxicity. In this study, a pot experiment was performed to evaluate the protein profile of saffron in response to Cd stress. Fifteen proteins were found to be up-regulated in the leaves of plants under Cd stress and were primarily related to metabolism, signal transduction, stress and defense response and energy. Eleven proteins were found to be down-regulated following Cd treatment, including ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco), ferredoxin-NADP reductase, a 70 kDa heat shock-related protein and three protein synthesis-associated proteins. The results provide valuable insights regarding the molecular mechanism of saffron in response to Cd toxicity and the possible utilization of genetic resources in developing Cd tolerant/low-accumulation saffron.

O cádmio (Cd) é um poluente ambiental global altamente prejudicial. As plantas desenvolveram mecanismos de defesa complexos como uma adaptação contra a toxicidade por Cd. Neste estudo, realizou-se um experimento em vaso para avaliar o perfil proteico do açafrão em resposta ao estresse por Cd. Foi descoberto que quinze proteínas foram supra-reguladas (up-regulated) nas folhas de plantas sob estresse por Cd e foram principalmente relacionados ao metabolismo, transdução de sinal, estresse e resposta de defesa e energia. Foi descoberto ainda que onze proteínas foram infra-reguladas (down-regulated) após tratamento com Cd, incluindo ribulose bifosfato carboxilase oxigenase (RuBisCO), ferredoxina-NADP redutase, uma proteína relacionada com o choque térmico de 70 kDa e três proteínas associadas à síntese de proteínas. Os resultados fornecem informações valiosas sobre o mecanismo molecular do açafrão em resposta à toxicidade do Cd e a possível utilização de recursos genéticos no desenvolvimento de açafrão tolerante ao Cd e de baixa acumulação.

Saffron Extract and Crocin Reduced Biomarkers Associated with Obesity in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet

This study aimed to investigate the effect of saffron extract and crocin on blood biomarkers associated with obesity using the rat model. Methods: Obesity was induced by feeding a high-fat diet to 42 male Sprague-Dawley rats for 12 weeks, after which they were equally distributed into seven groups. Three groups served as controls namely, normal diet (ND), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet plus orlistat (HFD + ORL), while the remaining four treatment groups consisted of HFD added low or high dose (40 and 80 mg/kg/day) of either saffron extract or crocin in the food. At the end of 8 weeks, blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis. Results: Obese rats treated with a high dose of saffron extract and crocin showed significantly lower plasma glucose levels (5.26 and 5.67 mmol/L respectively) than the HFD rats (6.92 mmol/L). Saffron extract and crocin at a high dose showed significantly lower levels of plasma insulin (3.97 and 3.88 ng/mL respctively) compared to HFD control (5.41 ng/mL). Adiponectin levels significantly increased in obese rats fed saffron extract and crocin at high doses (7.44 and 7.92 µg/mL respectively) compared to HFD control (5.34 µg/mL). Ghrelin level significantly increased from 419.10 to 284.10 pg/mL,while leptin level significantly decreased from 8.08 to 5.68 ng/mL for the high dose crocin groups compared to HFD control. No significant differences in plasma serotonin levels were found among the groups. Conclusion: Saffron extract and crocin show potential in reducing blood biomarkers associated with obesity as well as anti-inflammatory and regulatory potential of adipocytokines in an animal model.

Research progress on quality evaluation of saffron / 中国中药杂志

Saffron, a precious spice and a traditional medicinal herb in the international trade market, has attracted much attention about its quality evaluation.Saffron has been successfully cultivated in some areas in China,such as Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, but few studies were focused on the quality difference between saffron cultivated in China and in foreign countries, which obstructed the entrance of saffron cultivated in China into international trade market. The paper is to review the current research progress on quality evaluation of saffron from the following respects： the chemical composition, the identification of authenticity and adulterants, the detection of artificial colorants, the indexes and methods of quality evaluation,the quality evaluation of different specifications in the international trade market, and the parameters which affected the quality of saffron.