Anxiolytic and hypnotic effect of Crocus sativus aqueous extract and its constituents,crocin and safranal,in mice

Saffron stigma (Crocus sativus L.) is used for insomnia and anxiety in traditional medicine. In this study, the anxiolytic and hypnotic effects of saffron aqueous extract and its constituents, crocin and safranal, were studied in mice. Agents were administered intraperitoneally in mice before the experiments for the evaluation of hypnotic activity (induced by sodium pentobarbital, 30 mg/kg, i.p.), anxiolytic activity (elevated plus maze test), locomotor activity (open field test) and motor coordination (Rotarod test). The aqueous extract reduced the locomotor activity dose dependently. At low doses, saffron showed a significant increase in the time on the open arms of the maze. When using the Rotarod method, the aqueous extract showed considerable effect on motor coordination of the mice. In the hypnotic test, only a dose of 0.56 g/kg of saffron increased the total sleep. Crocin showed no anxiolytic, hypnotic or myorelaxation effects. Safranal, in higher doses, 0.15 and 0.35 mL/kg, showed anxiolytic effects. Safranal increased the total sleep time dose dependently. This constituent at lower doses (0.05 and 0.15 mL/kg) decreased some locomotion activity parameters. Safranal demonstrated no effects on motor coordination. The results showed that saffron aqueous extract and safranal have anxiolytic and hypnotic effects. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of the extract of Crocus sativus on tracheal responsiveness and plasma levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, total NO and nitrite in ovalbumin sensitized Guinea-pigs

Ethnomedical relevance

Anti-inflammatory, anti oxidant and effect of Crocus sativus (C. sativus) on Th₁/Th₂ balance were described previously.

Aim of the study

The preventive effects of the extract of Crocus sativus on tracheal responsiveness and plasma levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, total NO and nitrite were examined on sensitized guinea pigs.

Materials and methods

Five groups of sensitized guinea pigs to ovalbumin (OVA), were given drinking water containing three concentrations of the extract of Crocus sativus, dexamethasone (S+D) or alone (group S). Tracheal responses (TR) of control animals (group C) and sensitized guinea pigs (n=6, for each group) to methacholine, OVA and the levels of IL-4, IFN-γ, total NO and nitrite in serum were examined.

Results

The TR to both methacholine and OVA, the levels of serum IL-4, total NO and nitrite in S guinea pigs were significantly increased but that of IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio (Th₁/Th₂ balance) were decreased compared to the controls (p<0.05 to p<0.001). In the treated animals with dexamethasone and all concentrations of the extract, TR to both methacholine and OVA, IL-4, total NO and nitrite were significantly decreased but IFN-γ and IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio increased compared to S group (p<0.05 to p<0.001). The effects of the highest concentration of the extract was greater than those of other concentrations and the effect of dexamethasone (p<0.05 to p<0.01).

Conclusions

These results not only showed a preventive effect of C. sativus extract on tracheal responses and serum levels of inflammatory mediators in sensitized guinea pigs but also showed increased Th₁/Th₂ balance.     

A new validated SPE-HPLC method for monitoring crocetin in human plasma--application after saffron tea consumption

Saffron (stigmas of Crocus sativus L.) is a well-known spice with many attributed therapeutic uses throughout centuries. Although studies have demonstrated that crocetin and crocins from saffron have various biological functions, issues concerning the route and way of saffron administration, the absorption and metabolism of saffron carotenoids in humans have not been answered yet. In the present study, an isocratic reversed-phase liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the determination of crocetin in plasma. Samples were pre-treated by solid phase extraction (recoveries >72%) and were chromatographed on a Luna C-18 column (4.6mm×250mm, 5μm) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol-water-trifluoroacetic acid (75.0:24.5:0.5, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1.0mLmin(-1). The HPLC method developed resulted in sharp peaks at 10.7 (trans-crocetin) and 18.6min (cis-crocetin), whereas the calibration curve of total crocetin in plasma displayed a good linearity for concentrations of 0.020-20μM (R(2)=0.999). Specificity, precision, accuracy and stability were studied with spiked plasma samples and were acceptable. The developed method was applied to the determination of crocetin levels in plasma of four healthy human volunteers before and after consumption of one cup of saffron tea (200mg of saffron in 80°C water for 5min). Results showed that the concentration of crocetin was high after 2h (1.24-3.67μM) and still determined after 24h (0.10-0.24). Interestingly, the percentage of the cis-isomer ranges from 25 to 50%, suggesting in vivo isomerization.     

白萝卜及其提取物对胃肠动力作用的研究现状及展望

白萝卜（Raphanus sativus L．）又称莱菔、太根、菜头，为十字花科萝卜属的一或二年生草本植物，既是人们喜食的蔬菜又是我国中医治疗常用的药物。白萝卜及其提取物作为食源性植物，其药用价值及可能的临床应用前景，正日益受到人们的重视和关注。本文对白萝卜及其提取物对胃肠动力影响的研究现状和临床应用情况进行概述，以期对白萝卜及其提取物临床研究和应用提供借鉴。     

西红花特征图谱研究及真伪鉴别

目的建立一种西红花Crocus sativus特征图谱分析方法,并用以鉴别西红花中掺假栀子Gardenia jasminoides。方法采用HPLC法,色谱柱为ZorBax XDB-C_(18)(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm),流动相为0.5%醋酸水溶液-0.5%醋酸甲醇溶液梯度洗脱,检测波长为254 nm,分析时间为45 min,体积流量为1.0 mL/min。结果通过多批样品的检测,共标出8个特征峰,建立的分析方法有较好的重复性,能够显著区分西红花和栀子。结论方法稳定、可靠、简便,为西红花质量控制和真伪鉴别提供参考。     

西红花酸药理作用的研究进展

西红花的化学成分包括类胡萝卜素类及其糖苷类、黄酮苷类、氨基酸等.西红花酸是主要有效成分之一,本文对西红花酸的药理作用进行了较全面的综述,为合理开发利用西红花提供参考.     

Saponins from the Spanish saffron Crocus sativus are efficient adjuvants for protein-based vaccines

Protein and peptide-based vaccines provide rigorously formulated antigens. However, these purified products are only weakly immunogenic by themselves and therefore require the addition of immunostimulatory components or adjuvants in the vaccine formulation. Various compounds derived from pathogens, minerals or plants, possess pro-inflammatory properties which allow them to act as adjuvants and contribute to the induction of an effective immune response. The results presented here demonstrate the adjuvant properties of novel saponins derived from the Spanish saffron Crocus sativus. In vivo immunization studies and tumor protection experiments unambiguously establish the value of saffron saponins as candidate adjuvants. These saponins were indeed able to increase both humoral and cellular immune responses to protein-based vaccines, ultimately providing a significant degree of protection against tumor challenge when administered in combination with a tumor antigen. This preclinical study provides an in depth immunological characterization of a new saponin as a vaccine adjuvant, and encourages its further development for use in vaccine formulations.     

黄瓜籽醇提取物对早期釉质龋再矿化的影响

目的:研究不同浓度黄瓜籽醇提取物对人工脱矿釉质龋再矿化的影响。方法:将牛切牙在pH=5.0的脱矿溶液中,形成人工脱矿釉质龋模型,选取脱矿后硬度在280 HV的脱矿牛切牙,随机分为5组:20 g/L氟化钠(NaF)组(阳性对照组)、去离子水组(阴性对照组)、2、10、20 g/L黄瓜籽醇提取物组,用显微硬度仪测试不同溶液处理后脱矿釉质表面的硬度值进行比较。电子探针观察表面形态并进行主要元素分析。结果:脱矿釉质表面经不同浓度黄瓜籽醇提取物和NaF再矿化处理后,各组釉质显微硬度较再矿化前明显增高(P<0.05),去离子水组再矿化前后无明显差异(P>0.05)。显微硬度值随黄瓜籽醇提取物浓度增加而增加,各组组间比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。电子探针结果显示,去离子水组表面釉质呈典型的脱矿釉质表现,为蜂窝状疏松结构,NaF组可形成紧密球形均匀的沉淀区,黄瓜籽醇提取物组可见不规则沉积物覆盖脱矿的蜂窝状结构,且随浓度升高,沉积物由疏松转为致密。结论:NaF促进早期釉质再矿化的效果最好。黄瓜籽醇提取物对早期釉质龋有再矿化作用,作用效果随浓度升高而增强。