Effect of saffron supplementation on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

Mojgan Morvaridzadeh,Ava Sadat Hosseini,Hafez Heydari,Shahram Agah,Shima Abdollahi,Omid Toupchian,Ahmed Abu‐Zaid,Javad Heshmati,Emma Persad,Gholamreza Rezamand,M Dulce Estêvão

doi:10.1002/fsn3.2463

Abstract

Oxidative stress (OS), the absence of equilibrium between prooxidants and antioxidants in the body, has been shown to play a pivotal role in the initiation and progression of many diseases. Saffron has been noted for its antioxidant capacity and can be used to improve OS parameters in unhealthy patients. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of saffron supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy patients in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, and Web of Science without language restrictions for RCTs up until April 2021. Studies were included if they compared any form of saffron supplementation to placebo or no supplementation on OS parameters in unhealthy patients. Using a random‐effects model with calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), we quantitatively synthesized the data. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochrane's I 2 values. Ten randomized controlled trials were eligible for this review. Seven were included in the meta‐analysis and indicated an association between saffron intake and a statistically significant decrease in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (SMD: −0.40; 95% CI: −0.63, −0.17; I 2 = 32.6%) and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity (TAC, SMD: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.42; I 2 = 00.0%). Saffron intake was shown to significantly impact MDA and TAC, indicating its beneficial properties in improving OS in unhealthy patients. However, additional RCTs are required to evaluate the effect on other OS parameters.

Highlights

Oxidative stress (OS) describes a microenvironment manifested by an absence of equilibrium between prooxidants and antioxidants (Liguori et al, 2018)
To the best of my knowledge, this is the first comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis that investigated the impact of saffron supplementation on OS parameters
Saffron is widely used for many purposes, including medicinal applications, due to its complex composition of flavoring, aromatic, and colorful substances that are associated with health-promoting benefits

Summary

Introduction

Oxidative stress (OS) describes a microenvironment manifested by an absence of equilibrium between prooxidants and antioxidants (Liguori et al, 2018). The repercussion of OS is the development of a biologically destructive microenvironment enriched with free radicals, namely reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS, Phaniendra et al, 2015). These free radicals can be generated in response to various endogenous sources, such as XO, NADPH, and NOS enzymes, and exogenous sources, such as pollution, medication, and radiation (Phaniendra et al, 2015). Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) are the two most frequent biochemical parameters employed to gauge the overall oxidant/anti- oxidant profile (Maciejczyk et al, 2018)

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