Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences - ۲۰۰۵

The generation of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation are associated with tissue injury following ischemic insult; therefore, the use of antioxidants appears rational in the improvement of kidney diseases therapy. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of aqueous saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) and its active constituent, crocin, on oxidative stress following renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats.
The cellular redox status (thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) and total thiol levels) and antioxidant power (using ferric reducing/antioxidant power test) were assessed in control and ischemic groups. The left kidney was exposed to warm ischemia for ۶۰ min followed by reperfusion for ۹۰ min. The macerated aqueous extract of saffron (with doses of ۵, ۲۰ and ۸۰ mg/kg, i.p.) and crocin (with doses of ۵۰, ۲۰۰ and ۴۰۰ mg/kg, i.p.) were administrated prior to induction of ischemia. Normal saline (۱۰ ml/kg, i.p.) was injected to control group and a sham group that did not have ischemia-reperfusion.
Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) caused a significant increase in TBARS levels (p<۰.۰۰۱) and decrement in both antioxidant power (FRAP value) (p<۰.۰۵) and total thiol concentration (p<۰.۰۰۱) in kidney homogenate samples. In crocin pretreated groups, a reduction in TBARS levels (from ۸۵.۸ +/- ۵.۴ to ۲۰.۹ +/- ۱.۵ nmol/g tissue, p<۰.۰۰۱; ۴۰۰ mg/kg) and elevation in antioxidant power (FRAP value) (from ۳.۰۵ +/- ۰.۱۶ to ۴.۱۵ +/- ۰.۱۶ micromol/g tissue, p<۰.۰۰۱; ۴۰۰ mg/kg) and total thiol concentrations (from ۰.۳۸ +/- ۰.۰۳ to ۰.۶۲ +/- ۰.۰۳ mM, p<۰.۰۰۱; ۲۰۰ mg/kg), as compared with control group, were observed. The aqueous extract also reduced lipid peroxidation products (from ۸۵.۸ +/- ۵.۴ to ۱۵.۹ +/- ۲.۶ nmol/g tissue, p<۰.۰۰۱; ۸۰ mg/kg) and increased antioxidant power (from ۲.۹۸ +/- ۰.۱۱ to ۵.۹۷ +/- ۰.۵۶ micromol/g tissue, p<۰.۰۰۱; ۸۰ mg/kg) in ischemia-reperfusion injured rat kidneys.
This study therefore suggests that the aqueous saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) and its active constituent, crocin, may be useful agents for the prevention of renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced oxidative injury in rats."