Anti-dyslipidemic properties of saffron: reduction in the associated risks of atherosclerosis and insulin resistance

Abstract EN

Background: Recently herbs considered as biological and safe agents to treat, control and prevent of many health problems such as obesity and its complications.

Objectives: This study investigated protective effects of extracts from saffron stigma, petal, and their mixture on dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, and insulin resistance in high-fat-fed obese rats.

Methods: This experimental study was performed in animal house of Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran.

We used systematic random sampling to divide 56 adult male rats into 8 groups with 7 rats in each group that were fed a high-fat or standard diet for 10 weeks.

Then, doses of saffron stigma, petal (40 and 80 mg/kg body weight, respectively), and their mixture (80 mg/kg body weight of both) were administered orally on a daily basis for three weeks.

At the end of treatment priods, we examined all biochemical parameters.

Data were analyzed by valid statistical analysis.

Results: Saffron extracts markedly (P < 0.05) decreased the serum total cholesterol (TC, 909.3), triglyceride (TG, 9910.5), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, 27 1.1) in obese rats, while they increased the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, 682.2).

The atherosclerosis-index (LDL/HDL, 0.390.5), atherogenic index (TC/HDL, 1.324.2), and the liver enzymes (ALT, AST, and ALP) were also reduced drastically (P < 0.05) after herbal treatments.

Treatment with saffron extract significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the levels of leptin (0.26 0.04), insulin (4.11 0.1), resistin (11.1 0.5) and homeostasis model assessmentestimated insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR, 20.01.4) and enhanced the levels of circulating adiponectin (108 3), potentially indicating a cardio-protective influence.

Antioxidant capacity (511.6319) increased after treatment with saffron extracts, but malondialdehyde levels (1.940.1) decreased.

Conclusions: This in vivo study demonstrated that saffron extracts, particularly the mixture of extracts from stigma and petal, ameliorated dyslipidemia in obese rats, leading to decreased atherosclerosis and insulin resistance.

Our data suggested a potential therapeutic strategy against obesity and its related complications.