A review on the effects of saffron extract and its constituents on factors related to neurologic, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases

Journal of Medicinal Plants

Volumn 14, Issue 55, 2015, Pages 9-28

  Milajerdi, A ^a   Bitarafan, V ^a   Mahmoudi, M ^a  

^a TEHRAN UNIVERSITY OF MEDICAL SCIENCES   (Iran)

Author keywords

Cardiovascular disease; Crocetin; Crocin; Gastrointestinal disease; Neurologic disease; Saffron; Safranal

Indexed keywords

AGENTS ACTING ON THE EYE; ANALGESIC AGENT; ANTICONVULSIVE AGENT; ANTIDEPRESSANT AGENT; ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AGENT; ANTIINFLAMMATORY AGENT; ANTINOCICEPTIVE AGENT; ANTIOXIDANT; ANTIULCER AGENT; ANXIOLYTIC AGENT; CARDIOVASCULAR AGENT; CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AGENTS; CROCETIN; CROCIN; CROCUS SATIOUS EXTRACT; GASTROINTESTINAL AGENT; KAEMPFEROL; NOOTROPIC AGENT; PLANT EXTRACT; SAFRANAL; UNCLASSIFIED DRUG;

AGE RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION; ALZHEIMER DISEASE; ANALGESIC ACTIVITY; ANTICONVULSANT ACTIVITY; ANTIINFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY; ANTINOCICEPTION; ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY; ANXIETY DISORDER; ARTICLE; ATHEROSCLEROSIS; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; CROCUS; CROCUS SATIOUS; DEPRESSION; GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE; HEART INFARCTION; HEART PROTECTION; HUMAN; HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA; HYPERTENSION; INSOMNIA; INSULIN RESISTANCE; ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE; LEARNING; LEARNING DISORDER; MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE; MEMORY; MEMORY DISORDER; MULTICENTER STUDY (TOPIC); NEUROLOGIC DISEASE; NEUROPATHIC PAIN; NONHUMAN; OXIDATIVE STRESS; PENTYLENETETRAZOLE-INDUCED SEIZURE; PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME; SEIZURE; STOMACH ULCER; SYSTEMATIC REVIEW; SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE; TONIC CLONIC SEIZURE;

EID: 84947212962     PISSN: 2717204X     EISSN: 27172058     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (103)

1. Jung HA, Min B-S, Yokozawa T, Lee J-H, Kim YS and Choi JS. Anti-Alzheimer and antioxidant activities of Coptidis Rhizoma alkaloids. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2009; 32 (8): 1433-8.
2. Sander J and Shorvon S. Epidemiology of the epilepsies. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry 1996; 61 (5): 433.
3. Smith MC and Bleck TP. Convulsive disorders: toxicity of anticonvulsants. Clinical Neuropharmacol. 1991; 14 (2): 97-115.
4. Thylefors B. A mission for vision. The Lancet. 1999, 354: SIV44.
5. Thylefors B, Negrel A, Pararajasegaram R and Dadzie K. Global data on blindness. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 1995; 73 (1): 115.
6. Tabbara KF. Blindness in the eastern Mediterranean countries. British Journal of Ophthalmol. 2001; 85 (7): 771-5.
7. Merskey HE. Classification of chronic pain: descriptions of chronic pain syndromes and definitions of pain terms. Pain. 1986.
8. Aronoff GM, Evans WO and Enders PL. A review of follow-up studies of multidisciplinary pain units. Pain 1983; 16 (1): 1-11.
9. Akhondzadeh Basti A, Moshiri E, Noorbala A-A, Jamshidi A-H, Abbasi SH and Akhondzadeh S. Comparison of petal of Crocus sativus L. and fluoxetine in the treatment of depressed outpatients: A pilot double-blind randomized trial. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 2007; 31 (2): 439-42.
10. Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, Noorbala AA, Amini H, Fallah-Pour H, Jamshidi AH, et al. Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytotherapy Res. 2005; 19 (2): 148-51.
11. Beesdo K, Knappe S and Pine DS. Anxiety and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: developmental issues and implications for DSM-V. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2009; 32 (3): 483-524.
12. McLean CP, Asnaani A, Litz BT and Hofmann SG. Gender differences in anxiety disorders: prevalence, course of illness, comorbidity and burden of illness. Journal of Psychiatric Res. 2011; 45 (8): 1027-35.
13. Hettema JM, Neale MC and Kendler KS. A review and meta-analysis of the genetic epidemiology of anxiety disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry 2001; 158 (10): 1568-78.
14. Sarris J, McIntyre E and Camfield DA. Plant-based medicines for anxiety disorders, part 2: a review of clinical studies with supporting preclinical evidence. CNS Drugs 2013; 27 (4): 301-19.
15. Rashidi M QM and Ramesht M. Geographical epidemiology of cardiovascular disease mortality in Isfahan province. Journal of Isfahan Medical School 2011; 29 (125): 13-9.
16. Yavari P AA and Mehrabi Y. Epidemiology of causes of mortality and trends of its changes in the years 1358 to 1380 in Iran. Hakim Paeez 2003; 6 (3): 7-14.
17. Imanipour M BS and Haghani H. Journal of Nursing and Midwifery. Preventive behaviors in heart diseases and theirs relationship with knowledge about risk factors. Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Hayat) 2008; 14 (2): 41-9.
18. Pyörälä K, De Backer G, Graham I, Poole-Wilson P and Wood D. Prevention of coronary heart disease in clinical practice: recommendations of the Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology, European Atherosclerosis Society and European Society of Hypertension. Atherosclerosis 1994; 110 (2): 121-61.
19. DeFronzo RA and Ferrannini E. Insulin resistance: a multifaceted syndrome responsible for NIDDM, obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Diabetes Care 1991; 14 (3): 173-94.
20. Wild S, Roglic G, Green A, Sicree R and King H. Global prevalence of diabetes estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030. Diabetes Care 2004; 27 (5): 1047-53.
21. Freeman DL. Harrison's principles of internal medicine. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association 2001; 286 (8): 971-2.
22. Smith E. Epidemiology of Gastrointestinal Disorders. Canadian Family Physician 1978; 24: 1007.
23. Kern F. The second conference on digestive disease as a national problem: a brief editorial summary. Gastroenterol. 1974; 66 (2): 305-12.
24. Abe K and Saito H. Effects of saffron extract and its constituent crocin on learning behaviour and long term potentiation. Phytotherapy Res. 2000;14 (3): 149-52.
25. D'Amelio Sr FS. Botanicals: A phytocosmetic desk reference: CRC Press; 1998.
26. Gohari AR, Saeidnia S and Mahmoodabadi MK. An overview on saffron, phytochemicals, and medicinal properties. Pharmacognosy Reviews 2013; 7 (13): 61.
27. Kamalipour M and Akhondzadeh S. Cardiovascular effects of saffron: An evidence-based review. The journal of Tehran Heart Center 2011; 6 (2): 59.
28. Schmidt M, Betti G and Hensel A. Saffron in phytotherapy: pharmacology and clinical uses. Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift 2007; 157 (13-14): 315-9.
29. Hosseinzadeh H and Nassiri-Asl M. Avicenna's (Ibn Sina) the Canon of Medicine and saffron (Crocus sativus): a review. Phytotherapy Res. 2013; 27 (4): 475-83.
30. Abdullaev F. Biological effects of saffron. BioFactors (Oxford, England) 1993; 4 (2): 83-6.
31. Winterhalter P and Straubinger M. Saffron - renewed interest in an ancient spice. Food Reviews International 2000; 16 (1): 39-59.
32. Tarantilis PA and Polissiou MG. Isolation and identification of the aroma components from saffron (Crocus sativus). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chem. 1997; 45 (2): 459-62.
33. Deo B. Growing saffron - the world's most expensive spice. Crop Food Res. 2003; 20 (1): 1-4.
34. Gregory MJ, Menary RC and Davies NW. Effect of drying temperature and air flow on the production and retention of secondary metabolites in saffron. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chem. 2005; 53 (15): 5969-75.
35. Assimopoulou A, Sinakos Z and Papageorgiou V. Radical scavenging activity of Crocus sativus L. extract and its bioactive constituents. Phytotherapy Res. 2005; 19 (11): 997-1000.
36. Alonso GL, Salinas MR, Garijo J and Sánchez Fernández MA. Composition of crocins and picrocrocin from Spanish saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Journal of Food Quality 2001; 24 (3): 219-33.
37. Hariri AT, Moallem SA, Mahmoudi M, Memar B and Hosseinzadeh H. Sub-acute effects of diazinon on biochemical indices and specific biomarkers in rats: protective effects of crocin and safranal. Food and Chemical Toxicol. 2010; 48 (10): 2803-8.
38. Rezaee R, Mahmoudi M, Abnous K, Zamani Taghizadeh Rabe S, Tabasi N, Hashemzaei M, et al. Cytotoxic effects of crocin on MOLT-4 human leukemia cells. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine 2013; 10 (1): 105-12.
39. Hariri AT, Moallem SA, Mahmoudi M and Hosseinzadeh H. The effect of crocin and safranal, constituents of saffron, against subacute effect of diazinon on hematological and genotoxicity indices in rats. Phytomedicine 2011; 18 (6): 499-504.
40. Abdullaev F, Espinosa-Aguirre J. Biomedical properties of saffron and its potential use in cancer therapy and chemoprevention trials. Cancer Detection and Prevention 2004; 28 (6): 426-32.
41. Melnyk JP, Wang S Cancer Detection and Prevention
42. Marcone MF. Chemical and biological properties of the world's most expensive spice: Saffron. Food Research International 2010; 43 (8): 1981-9.
43. Akhondzadeh S, Sabet MS, Harirchian MH, Togha M, Cheraghmakani H, Razeghi S, et al. A 22-week, multicenter, randomized, double-blind controlled trial of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease. Psychopharmacol. 2010; 207 (4): 637-43.
44. Akhondzadeh S, Sabet MS, Harirchian M, Togha M, Cheraghmakani H, Razeghi S, et al. Saffron in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a 16 week, randomized and placebo controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 2010; 35 (5): 581-8.
45. Khalili M and Hamzeh F. Effects of active constituents of Crocus sativus L., crocin on streptozocin-induced model of sporadic Alzheimer's disease in male rats. Iranian Biomedical J. 2010; 14 (1-2): 59.
46. Khalili M, Roghani M and Ekhlasi M. The effect of aqueous crocus sativus L. extract on intracerebroventricular streptozotocin-induced cognitive deficits in rat: a behavioral analysis. Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Res. 2010; 185-91.
47. Zhang Y, Shoyama Y, Sugiura M and Saito H. Effects of Crocus sativus L. on the ethanolinduced impairment of passive avoidance performances in mice. Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 1994; 17 (2): 217-21.
48. Sugiura M, Shoyama Y, Saito H, Abe K. The effects of ethanol and crocin on the induction of long-term potentiation in the CA1 region of rat hippocampal slices. Japanese Journal of Pharmacol. 1995; 67 (4): 395-7.
49. Hosseinzadeh H, Sadeghnia HR, Ghaeni FA, Motamedshariaty VS and Mohajeri SA. Effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its active constituent, crocin, on recognition and spatial memory after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in rats. Phytotherapy Res. 2012; 26 (3): 381-6.
50. Abe K, Sugiura M, Yamaguchi S, Shoyama Y and Saito H. Saffron extract prevents acetaldehyde-induced inhibition of long-term potentiation in the rat dentate gyrus in vivo. Brain Res. 1999; 851 (1): 287-9.
51. Sugiura M, Shoyama Y, Saito H and Abe K. Crocin (crocetin di-gentiobiose ester) prevents the inhibitory effect of ethanol on long-term potentiation in the dentate gyrus in vivo. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 1994; 271 (2): 703-7.
52. Sugiura M, Shoyama Y, Saito H, Nishiyama N. Crocin Improves the Ethanolinduced Impairment of Learning Behaviors of Mice in Passive Avoidance Tasks. Proceedings of the Japan Academy Ser B: Physical and Biological Sci. 1995; 71 (10): 319-24.
53. Sugiura M, Saito H, Abe K, Shoyama Y. Ethanol extract of Crocus sativus L. Antagonizes the inhibitory action of ethanol on hippocampal long term potentiation in vivo. Phytotherapy Res. 1995; 9 (2): 100-4.
54. Hosseinzadeh H and Ziaei T. Effects of Crocus sativus stigma extract and its constituents, crocin and safranal, on intact memory and scopolamine-induced learning deficits in rats performing the Morris water maze task. J. Med. Plants 2006; 5 (19): 40-50.
55. Abe K, Sugiura M, Shoyama Y and Saito H. Crocin antagonizes ethanol inhibition of NMDA receptor-mediated responses in rat hippocampal neurons. Brain Res. 1998; 787 (1): 132-8.
56. Papandreou MA, Kanakis CD, Polissiou MG, Efthimiopoulos S, Cordopatis P, Margarity M, et al. Inhibitory activity on amyloid-β aggregation and antioxidant properties of Crocus sativus stigmas extract and its crocin constituents. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chem. 2006; 54 (23): 8762-8.
57. Marangoni D, Falsini B, Piccardi M, Ambrosio L, Minnella AM, Savastano MC, et al. Functional effect of Saffron supplementation and risk genotypes in early age-related macular degeneration: a preliminary report. Journal of Translational Medicine 2013; 11 (1): 228.
58. Falsini B, Piccardi M, Minnella A, Savastano C, Capoluongo E, Fadda A, et al. Influence of saffron supplementation on retinal flicker sensitivity in early age-related macular degeneration. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Sci. 2010; 51 (12): 6118-24.
59. Piccardi M, Marangoni D, Minnella A, Savastano MC, Valentini P, Ambrosio L, et al. A longitudinal follow-up study of saffron supplementation in early age-related macular degeneration: sustained benefits to central retinal function. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012; 2012.
60. Giaccio M. Crocetin from saffron: an active component of an ancient spice. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 2004; 44 (3): 155-72.
61. Xuan B, Zhou Y-H, Li N, Min Z-D and Chiou GC. Effects of crocin analogs on ocular blood flow and retinal function. Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics 1999; 15 (2): 143-52.
62. Maccarone R, Di Marco S and Bisti S. Saffron supplement maintains morphology and function after exposure to damaging light in mammalian retina. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Sci. 2008; 49 (3): 1254-61.
63. Natoli R, Zhu Y, Valter K, Bisti S, Eells J and Stone J. Gene and noncoding RNA regulation underlying photoreceptor protection: microarray study of dietary antioxidant saffron and photobiomodulation in rat retina. Molecular Vision 2010; 16: 1801.
64. Bonyadi MH, Yazdani S and Saadat S. The ocular hypotensive effect of saffron extract in primary open angle glaucoma: a pilot study. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2014; 14 (1): 399.
65. Khosravan V. Anticonvulsant effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus L. stigmas in mice. Archives of Iranian Medicine 2002; 5 (1): 44.
66. Hosseinzadeh H and Sadeghnia H. Protective effect of safranal on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in the rat: involvement of GABAergic and opioids systems. Phytomedicine 2007; 14 (4): 256-62.
67. Sadeghnia H, Cortez M, Liu D, Hosseinzadeh H and Snead 3rd OC. Antiabsence effects of safranal in acute experimental seizure models: EEG and autoradiography. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sci. 2008; 11 (3): 1-14.
68. Hosseinzadeh H and Younesi HM. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Crocus sativus L. stigma and petal extracts in mice. BMC Pharmacol. 2002; 2 (1): 7.
69. Kubo I and Kinst-Hori I. Flavonols from saffron flower: tyrosinase inhibitory activity and inhibition mechanism. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chem. 1999; 47 (10): 4121-5.
70. Amin B and Hosseinzadeh H. Evaluation of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of saffron, Crocus sativus L., and its constituents, safranal and crocin in allodynia and hyperalgesia induced by chronic constriction injury model of neuropathic pain in rats. Fitoterapia 2012; 83 (5): 888-95.
71. Amin B, Abnous K, Motamedshariaty V and Hosseinzadeh H. Attenuation of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis by ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Crocus sativus L. stigma after chronic constriction injury of rats. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências 2014; 86 (4): 1821-32.
72. Hosseinzadeh H, Shariaty VM. Antinociceptive effect of safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus (saffron), in mice. Pharmacologyonline 2007; 2: 498-503.
73. Pitsikas N, Boultadakis A, Georgiadou G, Tarantilis P and Sakellaridis N. Effects of the active constituents of Crocus sativus L., crocins, in an animal model of anxiety. Phytomedicine 2008; 15 (12): 1135-9.
74. Hosseinzadeh H and Noraei NB. Anxiolytic and hypnotic effect of Crocus sativus aqueous extract and its constituents, crocin and safranal, in mice. Phytotherapy Res. 2009; 23 (6): 768-74.
75. Akhondzadeh S, Fallah-Pour H, Afkham K, Jamshidi A-H and Khalighi-Cigaroudi F. Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a pilot double-blind randomized trial [ISRCTN45683816]. BMC Complementary and alternative Medicine 2004; 4 (1): 12.
76. Noorbala A, Akhondzadeh S, Tahmacebi- Pour N and Jamshidi A. Hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus L. versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot trial. Journal of Ethnopharmacol. 2005; 97 (2): 281-4.
77. Moshiri E, Basti AA, Noorbala A-A, Jamshidi A-H, Hesameddin Abbasi S and Akhondzadeh S. Crocus sativus L. (petal) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression: A double-blind, randomized and placebocontrolled trial. Phytomedicine 2006; 13 (9): 607-11.
78. Agha Hosseini M, Kashani L, Aleyaseen A, Ghoreishi A, Rahmanpour H, Zarrinara A, et al. Crocus sativus L. (saffron) in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a double-blind, randomised and placebo-controlled trial. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecol. 2008; 115 (4): 515-9.
79. Hosseinzadeh H, Karimi G, Niapoor M, et al. Antidepressant effect of Crocus sativus L. stigma extracts and their constituents, crocin and safranal, in mice. I International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology 2003, 650.
80. Georgiadou G, Tarantilis P, Pitsikas N. Effects of the active constituents of Crocus Sativus L., crocins, in an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Neuroscience letters 2012; 528 (1): 27-30.
81. Wang Y, Han T, Zhu Y, Zheng C-J, Ming Q-L, Rahman K, et al. Antidepressant properties of bioactive fractions from the extract of Crocus sativus L. Journal of Natural Medicines 2010; 64 (1): 24-30.
82. Berger F, Hensel A and Nieber K. Saffron extract and trans-crocetin inhibit glutamatergic synaptic transmission in rat cortical brain slices. Neuroscience 2011; 180: 238-47.
83. Hassani FV, Naseri V, Razavi BM, Mehri S, Abnous K and Hosseinzadeh H. Antidepressant effects of crocin and its effects on transcript and protein levels of CREB, BDNF, and VGF in rat hippocampus. Daru J. Pharm. Sci. 2014; 22.
84. Ghasemi T, Abnous K, Vahdati F, Mehri S, Razavi BM, Hosseinzadeh H. Antidepressant effect of Crocus sativus aqueous extract and its effect on CREB, BDNF, and VGF transcript and protein levels in Rat hippocampus. Drug Res. 2015; 65 (7): 337-43.
85. He S-Y, Qian Z-Y, Tang F-T, Wen N, Xu G-L and Sheng L. Effect of crocin on experimental atherosclerosis in quails and its mechanisms. Life Sci. 2005; 77 (8): 907-21.
86. He S-Y, Qian Z-Y, Wen N, Tang F-T, Xu G-L and Zhou C-H. Influence of crocetin on experimental atherosclerosis in hyperlipidamic-diet quails. European Journal of Pharmacol. 2007; 554 (2): 191-5.
87. Zheng S, Qian Z, Tang F and Sheng L. Suppression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression by crocetin contributes to attenuation of atherosclerosis in hypercholesterolemic rabbits. Biochemical Pharmacol. 2005; 70 (8): 1192-9.
88. Verma S and Bordia A. Antioxidant property of Saffron in man. Indian Journal of Medical Sci. 1998; 52 (5): 205-7.
89. Sheng L, Qian Z, Zheng S and Xi L. Mechanism of hypolipidemic effect of crocin in rats: crocin inhibits pancreatic lipase. European Journal of Pharmacol. 2006; 543 (1): 116-22.
90. Mehdizadeh R, Parizadeh MR, Khooei AR, Mehri S and Hosseinzadeh H. Cardioprotective effect of saffron extract and safranal in isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sci. 2013; 16 (1): 56.
91. Hong H and Liu G. Scutellarin protects PC12 cells from oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. J. Asian. Nat. Prod. Res. 2006; 8 (6): 471-9.
92. Hosseinzadeh H and Sadeghnia HR. Safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus (saffron), attenuated cerebral ischemia induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. J. Pharm. Pharm. Sci. 2005; 8 (3): 394-9.
93. Hosseinzadeh H, Modaghegh MH, Saffari Z. Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) extract and its active constituents (crocin and safranal) on ischemia-reperfusion in rat skeletal muscle. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2009; 6 (3): 343-50.
94. Xi L, Qian Z, Shen X, Wen N, Zhang Y. Crocetin prevents dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance in rats. Planta Medica 2005; 71 (10): 917-22.
95. Xi L, Qian Z, Xu G, Zheng S, Sun S, Wen N, et al. Beneficial impact of crocetin, a carotenoid from saffron, on insulin sensitivity in fructose-fed rats. The Journal of Nutritional Biochem. 2007; 18 (1): 64-72.
96. Fatehi M, Rashidabady T and Fatehi- Hassanabad Z. Effects of Crocus sativus petals' extract on rat blood pressure and on responses induced by electrical field stimulation in the rat isolated vas deferens and guinea-pig ileum. Journal of Ethnopharmacol. 2003; 84 (2): 199-203.
97. Razavi M, Hosseinzadeh H, Abnous K, Motamedshariaty VS, Imenshahidi M. Crocin restores hypotensive effect of subchronic administration of diazinon in rats. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sci. 2013; 16 (1): 64.
98. Imenshahidi M, Hosseinzadeh H and Javadpour Y. Hypotensive effect of aqueous saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) and its constituents, safranal and crocin, in normotensive and hypertensive rats. Phytotherapy Res. 2010; 24 (7): 990-4.
99. Imenshahidi M, Razavi BM, Faal A, Gholampoor A, Mousavi SM and Hosseinzadeh H. Effects of chronic crocin treatment on desoxycorticosterone acetate (doca)-salt hypertensive rats. Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sci. 2014; 17 (1): 9.
100. Plants A, Karaj I. Effects of saffron and its active constituents, crocin and safranal, on prevention of indomethacin induced gastric ulcers in diabetic and nondiabetic rats. J. Med. Plants 2009; 8: 30-8.
101. Xu G-L, Li G, Ma H-P, Zhong H, Liu F and Ao G-Z. Preventive effect of crocin in inflamed animals and in LPS-challenged RAW 264.7 cells. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chem. 2009; 57 (18): 8325-30.
102. Inoue E, Shimizu Y, Shoji M, Tsuchida H, Sano Y and Ito C. Pharmacological properties of N-095, a drug containing red ginseng, polygala root, saffron, antelope horn and aloe wood. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine 2005; 33 (01): 49-60.
103. Fatemeh N, Ehsan S, Zahra S, Seyed MK and Jalal V. Saffron (Crocus sativus) increases gastric acid and pepsin secretions in rats: Role of nitric oxide (NO). African Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacol. 2009; 3 (5): 181-4.