Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of crocin on the doxorubicin mediated hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats.

Doxorubicin (DXR) is widely used in cancer treatment. However, it has not yet been possible to prevent the side effects of DXR. The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of crocin against DXR used in cancer treatment. For this reason; forty Wistar rats (male-250-300 g) were allocated into four groups (n = 10/group): Control, Crocin, DXR and DXR+Crocin. Control and Crocin groups were administered saline and crocin (40 mg/kg, i.p) for 15 days, respectively. DXR group, cumulative dose 12 mg/kg DXR, was administered for 12 days via 48 h intervals in six injections (2 mg/kg each, i.p). DXR+Crocin group, crocin (40 mg/kg-i.p) was administered for 15 days, and DXR was given as in the DXR group. The results revealed that serum liver markers (alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) increased significantly after DXR administration but recovered after crocin therapy. In addition, lipid peroxidation (MDA), and inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α) increased after DXR application and the antioxidative defense system (GSH, SOD, CAT) significantly decreased and re-achieved by crocin treatment. Our results conclude that crocin treatment was related to ameliorated hepatocellular architecture and reduced hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation in rats with DXR-induced hepatotoxicity.

The protective and therapeutic effects of linalool against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in Wistar albino rats.

The aim of the present study was to determine the protective and therapeutic effects of linalool (LIN) against doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity in rats histologically and biochemically. In experiments, 64 male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into eight groups ( n = 8). These groups were control (C) (0.9% saline solution), DOX (20 mg/kg DOX), LIN50 (50 mg/kg LIN), LIN100 (100 mg/kg LIN), DOX + LIN50 (20 mg/kg DOX and 50 mg/kg LIN), DOX + LIN100 (20 mg/kg DOX and 100 mg/kg LIN), LIN50 + DOX (50 mg/kg LIN and 20 mg/kg DOX), and LIN100 + DOX (100 mg/kg LIN and 20 mg/kg DOX). It was determined that necrosis and extensive inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the DOX group. It was determined that histopathological changes significantly decreased in groups treated with LIN after DOX administration. While the caspase-3 immunostaining was highly evident in DOX group apoptotic cells ( p < 0.001, for all), the intensity of caspase-3 immunostaining in the treatment groups decreased ( p < 0.05). While DOX administration resulted in a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and plasma Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels in cardiac tissue when compared to the C groups, it was observed that DOX + LIN administration led to a significant decrease in MDA, plasma CK and LDH levels and a significant increase in glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzyme levels. Finally, it was concluded that DOX led to heavy cardiotoxicity and DOX + LIN administration could remove cardiomyopathy symptoms.

Protective effects of crocin on biochemistry and histopathology of experimental periodontitis in rats.

We investigated the effectiveness of crocin for preventing oxidative damage in experimentally produced periodontitis. We used three groups of 10 female Wistar rats divided into: control (C); experimental periodontitis (EP), experimental periodontitis + crocin (Cr-EP). Malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activities were measured. We examined histopathology and inflammatory cell infiltration in gingiva and periodontal ligament. MDA and TOS levels, and SOD and CAT activities increased significantly in rats with induced periodontitis compared to the control group, while GSH and TAS levels were decreased significantly compared to the control group. Histopathologic examination revealed inflammatory cell infiltration in gingiva epithelium and subepithelial connective tissue in the EP group. Histological damage was reduced significantly after crocin treatment compared to the EP group. Crocin supplementation may help reduce oxidative damage to periodontal tissues.

Neuroprotection against CCl4 induced brain damage with crocin in Wistar rats.

Owing to its lipophilic property, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) is rapidly absorbed by both the liver and brain. We investigated the protective effects of crocin against brain damage caused by CCl4. Fifty rats were divided into five groups of ten: control, corn oil, crocin, CCl4 and CCl4 + crocin. CCl4 administration decreased glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant status (TAS) levels, and catalase (CAT) activity, while significant increases were observed in malondialdehyde (MDA) and total oxidant status (TOS) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. The cerebral cortex nuclear lamina developed a spongy appearance, neuronal degeneration was observed in the hippocampus, and heterochromatic and pyknotic neurons with increased cytoplasmic eosinophilia were observed in the hippocampus after CCl4 treatment. Because crocin exhibits strong antioxidant properties, crocin treatment increased GSH and TAS levels and CAT activities, and decreased MDA and TOS levels and SOD activity; significant improvements also were observed in histologic architecture. We found that crocin administration nearly eliminated CCl4 induced brain damage by preventing oxidative stress.

Investigation of the protective effects of crocin on acrylamide induced small and large intestine damage in rats.

We investigated repair of acrylamide (AA) induced damage in intestines by administration of crocin. We used 40 male Wistar rats in four groups of 10 animals: control, AA, crocin, and AA + crocin groups. We investigated biochemical and histological changes to small and large intestine. AA ingestion decreased glutathione (GSH) levels and total antioxidant status (TAS) in the intestine compared to the control group, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, and total oxidant status (TOS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were increased. Villi were shortened and villus degeneration was observed in ileum of the AA group. Degeneration of surface epithelium and Liberkühn crypts were observed in colon sections. GSH and TAS levels increased after administration of AA together with crocin, while SOD and CAT levels and TOS and MDA levels decreased; significant recovery of histological damage also was observed. We found that crocin exhibits protective effects on AA induced small and large intestine damage by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Saffron (its active constituent, crocin) supplementation attenuates lipid peroxidation and protects against tissue injury.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the outcomes in a rat model of an acute swimming exercise induced oxidative stress in brain, kidney, liver, skeletal and cardiac muscles using supplementation with crocin. Rats were divided into the eight groups; Normal Control (NC: Untreated and did not swim), Crocin Control (CC: Received crocin and did not swim), Exercise-1 (E-1: Untreated and swam), Exercise-24 (E-24: Untreated and swam), Exercise-48 (E-48: Untreated and swam), Exercise+Crocin-1 (EC-1: Received crocin and swam), Exercise+Crocin-24 (EC-24: Received crocin and swam), Exercise+Crocin-48 (EC-48: Received crocin and swam). The malondialdehyde (MDA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) enzymes levels increased after swimming in untreated and crocin treated groups, but there was a lower increase in crocin treated groups. The highest MDA levels in all tissues were observed in E-1 compared to all other groups. There were significant differences between control and exercise groups in MDA levels of tissues (p < 0.001). In contrast, there were significant differences between control and exercise groups in glutathione (GSH) levels of tissues.In addition, the crocin supplementation significantly increased GSH levels and decreased MDA and XO enzyme levels when compared to untreated exercise groups. Crocin can protect the tissues against exercise induced oxidative stress by enhancing antioxidant activity (Tab. 3, Fig. 1, Ref. 37).

Investigation of the effects of acrylamide applied during pregnancy on fetal brain development in rats and protective role of the vitamin E.

A liberal amount of acrylamide (AA) is produced as a result of frying or baking foods in high temperatures, and individuals take certain amounts of AA everyday by consuming these food items. Pregnant women are also exposed to AA originating from food during pregnancy and their fetus are probably affected. The rats were divided into five different groups: control (C), corn oil (CO), vitamin E (Vit E), AA, and Vit E + AA, with eight pregnant rats in each group. On the 20th day of pregnancy, fetuses were removed and brain tissues of fetuses were examined for biochemical and histological changes. AA caused degeneration in neuron structures in fetal brain tissue and caused hemorrhagic damages; dramatically decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels; increased malondialdehyde, total oxidant capacity levels; and decreased reduced glutathione and total antioxidant capacity levels (p < 0.05). On the other hand, it was determined that the Vit E, a neuroprotectant and a powerful antioxidant, suppressed the effects of AA on fetal development and fetal brain tissue damage for the above-mentioned parameters (p < 0.05). It is recommended to consume food containing Vit E as a protection to minimize the toxic effects of food-oriented AA on fetus development due to the widespread nature of fast-food culture in today's life and the impossibility of protection from AA toxicity.

The protective effect of N-acetylcysteine against acrylamide toxicity in liver and small and large intestine tissues.

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of N-acetylcysteine against acrylamide toxicity in liver and small and large intestine tissues in rats.The rats were divided into four groups. Acrylamide administration increased MDA levels in all tissues significantly (p < 0.05). But acrylamide+NAC administration decreased MDA levels significantly as compared to the acrylamide group, and lowered it to a level close to the control group values (p < 0.05). GSH levels in liver and small intestine tissues reduced significantly in the acrylamide group (p < 0.05). But acrylamide+NAC administration increased GSH levels significantly in all tissues. Whereas GST activity decreased significantly in the acrylamide group in liver and small intestine tissues as compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), the GST activity increased significantly in the acrylamide+NAC group in all tissues as compared to the acrylamide group (p < 0.05). Liver histopathology showed that the liver epithelial cells were damaged significantly in the acrylamide group. Small intestine histopathology showed that the intestinal villous epithelial cells were damaged significantly in the acrylamide group.Our results indicate that a high level of acrylamide causes oxidative damage in liver and small and large intestine tissues, while N-acetylcysteine administration in a pharmacological dose shows to have an antioxidant effect in preventing this damage (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 66).

Protective effects of saffron (its active constituent, crocin) on nephropathy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

The reactive oxygen species take role in pathogenesis of many diseases including hypoxia, hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerosis, nephropathy, hypertension, ischemia-reperfusion damage, and heart defects. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether crocin administration could protect kidney injury from oxidative stress in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The rats were randomly divided into 3 groups each containing 10 animals as follows: group 1, control group; group 2, diabetes mellitus (DM) group; and group 3, DM + crocin group. At the end of the study, trunk blood was collected to determine the plasma levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine (Cr). The kidney tissue was removed, and biochemical and histological changes were examined. Diabetes caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activities and a decrease in glutathione (GSH) contents (p < 0.01) when compared with control group in the rat kidneys. Crocin given to DM rats significantly decreased MDA (p < 0.01) and XO (p < 0.05) activities and elevated GSH (p < 0.05) contents when compared with DM group. Plasma levels of BUN and Cr were significantly higher in the DM group when compared with the control group (p < 0.01). Pretreatment of the DM animals with crocin decreased the high level of serum Cr and BUN. Control group was normal in histological appearance, but congestion, severe inflammation, tubular desquamation, tubular necrosis, and hydropic degeneration in tubular cells were observed in the DM group. Histopathological changes markedly reduced, and appearance of kidney was nearly similar to control group in DM + crocin group. Our results show that crocin could be beneficial in reducing diabetes-induced renal injury.