جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « saffron » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

We aimed to investigate the concentrations of metals, including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn), in various types of saffron.

All published studies until 2022 were searched from PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases. The published articles’ references were also evaluated to investigate the prevalence of heavy metal contamination in different types of saffron. The heterogeneity and concentration were estimated using I2 and the random effect model, respectively.

Among 128 articles retrieved in the identification phase, eight articles were included in this meta-analysis. The Pb exhibited the highest concentration among metals, with an average concentration of 0.10 mg/kg and a range of 0.11-0.10 mg/kg. Cd had the lowest concentration, with an average of 0.009 mg/kg and a range of 0.008-0.010 mg/kg. The concentration of Ni, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu were also in accordance with the sequence of Ni > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu. Specifically, Ni demonstrated the highest concentration among essential metals in the sample, with an average of 2.81 mg/kg and a range of 2.76-2.86 mg/kg, while Cd displayed the lowest concentration, with an average of 0.022 mg/kg and a range of 0.023-0.023 mg/kg.

The concentration of different metals in the examined saffron was variable, which can be attributed to several factors, including characteristics of the metals, nature of the saffron plant, composition of the irrigation water and the soil used for production of the plant, water conditions and crop cultivation.

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases and one of the main causes of death all over the world. This study aimed to investigate the effect of consumption of saffron extract combined with aerobic exercise on glycemic indices in streptozotocin induced diabetic male rats with.  This experimental study was conducted on 40 adult male rats aged 10-12 weeks weighing 220-250g. Rats were randomly allocated to diabetic control, diabetic exercise, diabetic saffron, and diabetic exercise + saffron groups after the induction of diabetes. Moderate intensity exercise was administered five days a week for eight weeks. Before and after eight weeks glycemic indices were measured, and the data were analyzed with Kolmogorov-Smirnov, one-way analysis of variance, and Tukey's post hoc tests.  The results showed that fasting glucose in the saffron extract + aerobic exercise was significantly lower than the control and the aerobic training groups (p=0.014). Glycosylated hemoglobin in the saffron extract + aerobic exercise group was lower than the control group (p=0.001), and insulin resistance in the saffron group was lower than the control group with aerobic exercise (p=0.001).  Both an aerobic exercise and a consumption of saffron extract can probably prevent diabetes by reducing hyperglycemic indicators. Aerobic exercise and consumption of saffron extract co-administration can exert more beneficial effects.

Nanoemulsions are a colloidal dispersion of oil/water or water/oil phases stabilized by emulsifiers. The physicochemical properties of nanoemulsions have made them suitable candidates for the delivery of bioactive compounds. Oil-in-water nanoemulsions are proper carriers for hydrophobic and water-in-oil or water-in-oil-in-water nanoemulsions are good carriers for hydrophilic compounds. Saffron is an expensive bulbous stemless herb whose different bioactive ingredients including crocins, crocetin, safranal, picrocrocin, and essential oils have valuable nutritional, medicinal, pharmaceutical, and antimicrobial properties. The use of nanoemulsion technology is a promising approach for saffron processing. The emulsion liquid membrane is one of the effective techniques for extracting saffron bioactive. On the other hand, encapsulating saffron extract in nanoemulsion droplets can increase the stability, bioavailability, and controlled release of bioactive ingredients of saffron. Due to its inherent antimicrobial activity, saffron can be used in the form of nanoemulsion coatings to increase the quality and shelf life of food products. In this study, the existing studies on saffron nanoemulsions processing were reviewed. The application of nanoemulsion techniques for saffron extraction, saffron bioactive nanoencapsulation, as well as the probable preservative properties of saffron essential oils for food packaging have been discussed. This article also reveals information on two recent patents on the subject of saffron nanoemulsion by ultrasonic method.

In Traditional Persian Medicine (TPM) saffron is used as an accompaniment agent “Mobadreq” in poly herbal formulations. According to TPM texts, “Mobadreq” is a substance (or drug) which facilitates access of drugs or food to the whole body or specific organs. This study investigated the effect of oral co-administration of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) on the absorption and some pharmacokinetic parameters of acetaminophen in rats. Two groups of Rats (n=6) were treated by 1: acetaminophen 10 mg/kg along with Crocus sativus 4 mg/kg (test group) and 2: 10 mg/kg acetaminophen (control). The plasma concentrations of acetaminophen after oral administration (at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40, 60, 90, and 120 min) were monitored by an HPLC-UV method. Results indicated that the plasma concentration of acetaminophen in the test group was reached to the maximum concentration (Cmax) faster than control group. As a result, at 5 to 40 minutes after drug gavage, the concentration of acetaminophen in both groups was significantly different.  It was also found that co-administration of acetaminophen and saffron significantly increased acetaminophen’s area under concentration curve (AUC0-60) in compare to the acetaminophen alone (p<0.025). These results suggested that saffron could increase absorption rate of acetaminophen. Consequently, saffron can be considered and introduced as an enhancer of absorption rate and efficacy of acetaminophen and other drugs at least by oral route although the drug interactions with this herb should be considered.

Acrylamide (ACR) is a neurotoxic agent whose damage could be attenuated by antioxidants administration. Crocetin is a saffron-derived antioxidant that has neuroprotective effects. This study evaluates the protective effects of trans-sodium crocetinate (TSC) and its water-soluble derivative, Bis-N-(N-methylpyprazinyl) crocetinate (BMPC) against ACR neurotoxicity.

PC12 cells were treated with TSC and BMPC (1.95, 3.9, 7.81, 15.62, 31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500, and 1000 μM) for 24 hr. ACR was then added at a concentration of 6.5 mM (IC50), and cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide. In the in vivo study, male Wistar rats were treated with ACR (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal (i.p.)) for 11 days alone or in combination with TSC and BMPC (2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) or vitamin E (200 IU/kg, i.p.). Motor impairments were then evaluated. The cerebral cortex of sacrificed rats was taken for the malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels measurement.

In vitro studies showed that TSC at a concentration of 7.81 μM and BMPC at concentrations of 3.9, 7.81, and 15.62 μM exhibited the lowest toxicity in acrylamide administration. In the in vivo study, pretreatment with 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg of TSC ameliorated behavioral impairments, but BMPC could not attenuate them. GSH and MDA were improved by 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg TSC and 2.5 mg/kg BMPC.

TSC and BMPC administration improved behavioral index and oxidative stress injuries in Wistar rats exposed to ACR through MDA reduction and GSH content enhancement in the cerebral cortex.

Macrophages exhibit versatile phenotypes, with M1 macrophages releasing inflammatory cytokines and possessing microbicidal activities, while M2 macrophages release anti-inflammatory cytokines and contribute to tissue repair. The M1/M2 imbalance plays a significant role in various pathological processes. Crocin, known for its antioxidant properties and ability to eliminate free radicals, has been investigated for its potential anti-inflammatory effects. We examined the effect of the primary activation state of macrophages on their phenotype switching when exposed to crocin. The crocin impact on macrophage viability was evaluated by MTT. TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 secretion, as well as Nos2/Arg1 ratio, were measured in cells treated with crocin or LPS+IFN-γ (M1 inducers), in cells concurrently treated with crocin and LPS+IFN-γ or in cells pretreated with crocin before M1 induction. Crocin did not show any toxicity at the concentration of 500 µM or lower. When uncommitted macrophages were exposed to crocin (25-100 µM), it elevated certain M1 activity indicators, including Nos2/Arg1 ratio and TNF-α secretion, but not IL-6. Crocin in concurrent treatment with LPS+IFN-γ prevented the increase in M1 indicators, Nos2/Arg1 ratio, and TNF-α secretion. However, pretreatment of cells with crocin before the addition of LPS+IFN-γ did not reverse M1 induction in macrophages; instead, it further increased the Nos2/Arg1 ratio and TNF-α secretion. IL-10 was not detectable in any of the experimental groups. It appears that the modulatory effects of crocin on macrophage M1/M2 phenotype switching partly depend on the presence or absence of inflammatory mediators and, accordingly, the initial state of macrophage commitment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of saffron extract on the embryo development of mice.

Pregnant NMRI mice were randomized into control and treatment groups at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg saffron doses. Saffron extract was administered to mice by gavage on days 7-12 of pregnancy. On the 17th day of pregnancy, the embryos were removed from the uterus and their weight and height measured. Moreover, their brain tissue has been evaluated histologically. Subsequently, the expression of the Foxp2 and Ascl1 genes in the brain tissue was assessed using the real-time PCR method.

All embryos were aborted in mothers that received 100 mg/kg of saffron. At dose 50 mg/kg, only embryos of a mother reached the end of pregnancy. Embryos treated with 25 mg/kg saffron were significantly heavier than controls (P<0.05). Furthermore, the tail length was significantly shorter (P<0.05). Histological findings showed that there was no difference between the control and treated groups, and the brain tissue was well developed. Foxp2 and Ascl1 genes were significantly overexpressed in both the 25 and 50 mg/kg treatment groups compared to the control group (P<0.05).

The results of this study showed that saffron extract can have significant effects in low concentrations (25 mg/kg) on the development of the mouse embryos as well as the expression of Foxp2 and Ascl1 genes.

According to the worldwide increasing prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the present study aimed to investigate the mechanism effects of saffron consumption on preventing NAFLD in a rat model.

In an experimental study, 12 rats were randomly divided into 2 groups to be evaluated in the prevention phase for 7 weeks. In the prevention phase, the animals were randomly assigned to either fed HFHS + 250 mg/kg saffron (S) or fed with HFHS. Afterward, parts of the liver were excised for histopathologic examination. Plasma concentrations of ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, serum lipids, insulin concentrations, plasma glucose, hs-CRP, and TAC were measured. Moreover, Also, the gene expression of 6 target genes was evaluated, including FAS, ACC1, CPT1، PPARα ،DGAT2, and SREBP 1-c at the beginning and end of the study. Also, the differences among groups were evaluated by the Mann-Whitney test for non-normal data and the independent t test for normal data.

The prevention phase groups have a significant elevation in body weight (P = 0.034) and food intake (P = 0.001) of the HFHS group versus HFHS + 250 mg/kg S group. Also, there was a significant difference between groups 1 and 2 for ALT (P = 0.011) and AST (P = 0.010), and TG (P = 0.040). The HFHS group had higher plasma levels of FBS (P = 0.001), insulin (P = 0.035), HOMA-IR (P = 0.032), and lower TAC (P = 0.041) versus the HFHS+ S group. Also, the difference between HFHS + 250 mg/kg S and HFHS for PPARα gene expression was significant (P = 0.030).

The present study showed that consumption of saffron could prevent developing NAFLD in rats at least partially through modulation in gene expression of PPARα.

The potential therapeutic benefits of saffron and its active constituents have been investigated for the treatment of numerous illnesses. In this review, the impacts of saffron and its essential components on the levels of microRNAs (miRNAs) in different diseases have been delineated. Relevant articles were obtained through databases such as PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to the end of November 2022. miRNA expression has been altered by saffron and its active substances (crocin, crocetin, and safranal) which has been of great advantage in treating diseases such as cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, cancers, gastrointestinal and liver disorders, central and peripheral nervous system disorders, asthma, osteoarthritis, ischemic-reperfusion induced injury conditions, and renal disorder. This study uncovered the potential restorative advantages of saffron and its derivatives, in miRNA imbalances in a variety of diseases.

Safranal (a monoterpene aldehyde) is the major volatile component of saffron which is responsible for the saffron unique odor. Several studies have shown the pharmacological activities of safranal including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, gastrointestinal protective, etc.  This study was designed to review the pharmacological and medical effects of safranal and up-to-date previous knowledge. Moreover, some patents related to the pharmacological effects of safranal were gathered. Therefore, electronic databases including Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Pubmed for pharmacological effects and US patent, Patentscope, and Google Patent for patents were comprehensively searched by related English keywords from 2010 to June 2022. According to our review, most of the studies are related to the safranal effects on CNS such as antianxiety, analgesic, anticonvulsant, antiischemic, anti-tremor, memory enhancement and its protective effects on neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson and Huntington diseases. Other effects of safranal are antiasthmatic, antihypertensive, antiaging, anticataract, etc. Moreover, the protective effects of this agent on metabolic syndrome and diabetic nephropathy have been shown. Different mechanisms including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, muscle relaxation, antiapoptotic, and regulatory effects on the genes and proteins expression related to signaling pathways of oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, proliferation, etc. are involved in safranal pharmacological effects. Some patents for the prevention and/or treatment of different diseases such as liver cancer, sleep disorder, depression,  cognitive disorder, obesity and PMS were also included. Based on the documents, safranal is considered a promising therapeutic agent although more clinical studies are needed to verify the beneficial effects of safranal in humans.

Blood coagulation is an important physiological process in maintaining homeostasis that causes blood to clot. The two main components of the hemostasis process are fibrinolysis and coagulation and influenced by many factors including physical activity and diet. This study aims to evaluate systematic review on the response of the coagulation system and Fibrolytic Factors to Exercise and Saffron.

Search for studies on the response of coagulation and fibrinolytic factors to exercise and saffron extract in the reputable databases Springer, Hindawi, PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, SID and ISC using the keyword Exercise Training and Saffron, platelet count (plt), fibrinogen level, relative activated thromboplastin time (PTT) and prothrombin time (PT) and plasminogen inhibitor-activating antigen (PAI-1), activating antigen tissue plasminogen (tPA), tPA activity and D-dimer were performed.

In studies related to saffron extract, its beneficial effects were observed during long-term interventions. However, saffron consumption during the short-term had no effect on coagulation factors. Also, in short-term aerobic and resistance training studies, some studies reported a transient improvement in coagulation indices. Both long-term aerobic and resistance training help to maintain of coagulation homeostasis.

Exercise and saffron and its effective substances on the coagulation and fibrinolysis processes in healthy people and in some diseases (such as myocardial infarction and diabetes) have benefits.

Context: 

Saffron, as a medicinal plant, is widely used to treat various diseases, especially among women. Therefore, this study was conducted to review the studies on the impact of saffron on premenstrual syndrome (PMS), labor, childbirth, and menopause.

This systematic review, based on the PICO process, systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Research Gate, and Persian databases, such as Scientific Information Database (SID) and Magiran, until February 2023. The search was based on a search strategy. Strategy search included keywords saffron OR Crocus sativus Linn. OR safranal OR crocin using AND premenstrual syndrome, postpartum depression, pregnancy anxiety, pregnancy depression, menopause, perimenopause, labor pain, childbirth, active labor phase, delivery, episiotomy, and pregnancy. Of 164 articles, 20 randomized controlled trials with a score of 3 and above based on the Jadad scale entered the study.

The results showed that saffron has positive effectsonlabor and childbirth, including improvement of Bishop’s score, labor progress, reduction of fatigue and labor pain intensity, and episiotomy healing. Additionally, it can improve mood and psychological symptoms of menopause and PMS. The results of two studies showed that saffron has an effect on postpartum depression.

Saffron is suggested as a medicinal plant that can help improve women’s complications. However, due to the limited number of studies, it is recommended to carry out further studies without the limitations of previous studies before applying saffron in clinical medicine.

 Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a new strategy for eliminating pathogenic microorganisms, especially in infectious wounds. PDI occurs using light in combination with a photosensitizer. A new approach in PDI applies natural compounds as a photosensitizer. This study aimed to introduce brewed saffron (Crocus sativus) as a new natural photosensitizer in combination with blue light to induce a phototoxic reaction in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains.

 Isolated and standard S. aureus and E. coli strains and a Candida albicans standard strain were used for PDI. Various final concentrations (2.5-10 mg/mL) of brewed saffron as a photosensitizer was employed with 15 minutes of incubation. A blue LED with 5 minutes of illumination was applied as a light source. Control and treatments were compared using the colony count method.

Using the saffron extract in combination with blue LED could induce a phototoxic reaction in Gram-negative bacteria similar to Gram-positive bacteria. After PDI, there was no significant difference between Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains in terms of cellular death. The highest phototoxic reaction in all bacteria was observed at 10 mg/mL of the final saffron concentration combined with blue light by 0.65-0.75log10 (CFU/mL) cellular death. At the concentration of 2.5 mg/mL of the extract (the lowest concentration), the highest phototoxic reaction was found in the S. aureus isolated strain by a 0.65log10 (CFU/mL) reduction.

 The brewed saffron combined with blue light induces a sub-lethal phototoxic reaction in bacteria. Accordingly, it can be suggested as a natural source for new photosensitizers.