Glaucoma is a degenerative nerve disorder that results in irreversible blindness. It has been reported that the apoptosis of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is a hallmark of glaucoma. Oxidative stress is one of the major factors that cause apoptosis of RGCs. Crocin has many beneficial effects, including antioxidant and anti-apoptotic actions. However, the mechanism by which crocin protects agains...

BACKGROUND The major side effect of cisplatin, used in some tumours, is nephrotoxicity. Reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage are the most important factors in cisplatin-induced acute renal failure. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects of crocin against cisplatin-induced acute renal failure and oxidative stress in rat. METHODS In this study, animals w...

BACKGROUND/AIMS Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a microangiopathic disease characterized by excessive urinary albumin excretion, which occurs in 30% of patients with diabetes mellitus. It is the second leading cause of end-stage renal diseases in China. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is reported to be closely correlated with the inflammation underlying diabetes-associated renal damage. Crocin, a p...

OBJECTIVE The present study was designed to investigate the putative antidepressant effects of crocin and crocetin, two major active ingredients of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) using mice in two different regimens of acute and sub-acute administration. MATERIAL AND METHODS In acute treatment, antidepressant-like activities of crocin and crocetin (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) were evaluated using...

OBJECTIVES Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. One of the hallmarks of AD is an abnormal accumulation of fibril forms of tau protein which is known as a microtubule associated protein. In this regard, inhibition of tau aggregation has been documented to be a potent therapeutic approach in AD and tauopathies. Unfortunately, the available synthetic ...

OBJECTIVE Crocin and safranal are the main components of saffron, and have many biological functions such as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. In the present study, we investigated the effects of crocin, safranal, morphine, diclofenac and naloxone in combined and separately on formalin-induced orofacial pain in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subcutaneous injection of a diluted formal...

The study aimed to investigate the protective effects of crocin (Cro) against streptozotocin (STZ)-induced oxidative damage in rat striatum. Animals were randomly divided into four groups (five each). Group 1 (sham) were treated with normal saline (2 ml/kg, p.o.). Group 2 (STZ-lesioned or lesion) were injected with ICV-STZ (3 mg/kg bilaterally, on day 1 and 3) and treated with normal saline (2 ...

BACKGROUND Crocin is an active ingredient of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its antioxidant properties have been previously investigated. This carotenoid scavenges free radicals and stimulates glutathione (GSH) synthesis; consequently, it may protect cells against oxidative stress. The aim of this research is to protect oocytes from oxidative stress by the addition of a natural source antioxid...

In this study, total crocin was extracted from saffron stigmas using crystallization method. Ethanol 80% was selected as the best extraction solvent. Crystallization process was carried out in one and two steps at different temperatures. Ethanol 80% was used as crystallization medium. Crocin crystals obtained from the first crystallization had low purity and thus were subjected to the second cr...

OBJECTIVES Crocin is one of constituents of saffron and has antioxidant property. Zinc chloride is one of the common compounds of zinc with antioxidant activity. The present study was aimed to investigate separate and combined treatment effects of crocin and zinc chloride on blood levels of zinc and metabolic and oxidative parameters in diabetic rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Diabetes was induce...