Pharmacopsychiatry - ۲۰۱۴

The aim of this study was to assess whether saffron aqueous extract (SAE) or its active constituent, crocin, prevents olanzapine-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: ۶۶ patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who were on olanzapine treatment (صادرات۰ mg daily) were randomly allocated to receive a capsule of SAE (n=۲۲; ۳۰ mg daily), crocin (n=۲۲; ۳۰ mg daily) or placebo (n=۲۲) in a ۱۲-week triple-blind trial. Patients were screened not to have MetS at baseline and further assessment was done at weeks ۶ and ۱۲. Measurement of fasting blood glucose (FBS) and serum lipids were repeated at weeks ۲, ۶ and ۱۲. Fasting blood levels of insulin and HbA۱c were also measured at baseline and week ۱۲. HOMA-IR and HOMA-β were determined to evaluate insulin resistance. RESULTS: ۶۱ patients completed the trial and no serious adverse effects were reported. Time-treatment interaction showed a significant difference in FBS in both SAE and crocin groups compared to placebo (p=۰.۰۰۴). In addition, SAE could effectively prevent reaching the criteria of metabolic syndrome (۰ patients) compared to crocin (۹.۱%) and placebo (۲۷.۳%) as early as week ۶. CONCLUSION: SAE could prevent metabolic syndrome compared to crocin and placebo. Furthermore, both SAE and crocin prevented increases in blood glucose during the study.