Effect Of Saffron Supplementation Research Articles

Effects of saffron supplementation on serum inflammatory markers and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis: A double blind randomized controlled clinical trial

BackgroundUlcerative Colitis (UC) is accompanied by an increase in inflammation and oxidative stress. Saffron supplementation could improve inflammation status due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of saffron tablets on serum concentration of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers and the quality of life in patients with UC. MethodsThis double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was carried out on 80 patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis who were randomly assigned to saffron or placebo groups. Of all the patients 75 completed the study. The intervention group received 100 mg of saffron per day and placebo group received 100 mg of Maltodextrin per day. ResultsEight weeks of supplementation with saffron resulted in a significant decrease in serum levels of TNF-α (P = 0.003), hs-CRP (P = 0.001) levels, and a significant increase in IL-10 levels (P = 0.004) in the saffron group compared to the placebo group. No significant difference was observed in ESR (P = 0.379), IL-17 (P = 0.108), and the scores of inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ-9) (P = 0.136) between the intervention and placebo groups. However, there was a significant decrease in ESR (P = 0.002), IL-17 (P = 0.001) levels and a significant increase in the IBDQ-9 questionnaire score (P = 0.013) in the saffron group. ConclusionThe findings of the present study showed that taking saffron for eight weeks along with medications can decrease the level of some inflammatory cytokines in UC patients.

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

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.

The effect of saffron supplementation on some inflammatory and oxidative markers, leptin, adiponectin, and body composition in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by oxidative stress and inflammation in the hepatocytes. Saffron and its constituents are reported to have several properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects. In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with two parallel groups including 76 eligible men and female patients with NAFLD aged 18-65, recruited from Hazrat Rasul Akram Hospital in Tehran, Iran. NAFLD was defined by a Gastroenterologist based on the American Gastrointestinal and Liver Association standards. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups receiving daily supplementation of either one tablet of 100 mg saffron (n = 38) or one placebo (n = 38) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and secondary outcomes were alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), malondialdehyde (MDA), total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC), leptin, adiponectin, anthropometric, and body composition Both groups were assigned similar diet and physical activity. In the treatment group, significant decreases in hs-CRP (-1.80 ng/ml, 95% CI = -2.97, -0.63, p = .032), leptin (-0.27 ng/ml, 95% CI = -0.65, -0.10, p = .040), MDA (-1.01 ng/ml, 95% CI = -1.89, -0.14, p = .023) and significant increase in TAC (0.34 μmol/L, 95% CI = 0.08, 0.61, p = .011) were observed compared to the placebo group. However, there were no significant changes in serum alanine aminotransferase, AST, TNF-α, body composition, and anthropometric indexes (p > .05). In the present study, 12 weeks of 100 mg of saffron supplementation indicated beneficial effects on serum levels of some inflammatory, oxidative stress, and adipokines biomarkers but it had no significant effect on serum concentrations of liver enzymes, anthropometric, and body composition measurements.

Effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effect of saffron supplementation on subclinical inflammation remains inconclusive. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize available findings on the effect of saffron supplementation on inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein [CRP], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and interleukin-6 [IL-6]) in adults. We searched PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases up to November 2019 using relevant keywords to identify eligible trials. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effect of oral saffron supplementation on plasma concentrations of CRP, TNF-α, and IL-6 were included. For each outcome, mean differences and SDs were pooled using a random-effects model. Overall, eight RCTs were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled results showed that saffron supplementation did not result in significant changes in serum CRP (weighted mean difference [WMD]: -0.43 mg/L; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.04 to 0.17; p = .16), serum TNF-α (WMD: -1.29 pg/mL; 95% CI: -4.13 to 1.55; p = .37), and IL-6 concentrations (WMD: 0.11 pg/mL; 95% CI: -0.79 to 1.00; p = .81). Subgroup analysis indicated a significant reduction in serum CRP levels in studies with baseline CRP of ≥3 mg/L, saffron dosage of ≤30 mg/day, and intervention duration of <12 weeks, as well as trials that used crocin. Similarly, saffron was found to decrease TNF-α in studies that recruited non-diabetic subjects, subjects with baseline levels of ≥15 pg/mL, and participants with <50 years old, as well as trials that administered saffron at the dosage of ≤30 mg/day. We also found a significant non-linear effect of saffron dosage on serum CRP concentrations (pnon-linearity = .03). The overall results indicated that saffron supplementation did not affect inflammatory cytokines. Further high-quality studies are needed to firmly establish the clinical efficacy of supplemental saffron on inflammatory biomarkers.

Effect of saffron on serum leptin levels in patients with metabolic syndrome, a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial study

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. A decreased level of serum leptin is reported for obese populations. Beneficial effects of saffron on human health, including appetite-regulation, have been reported previously. The aim of this study was to investigating the effect of saffron supplementation on serum leptin levels in patients with metabolic syndrome. Material and method: Patients with metabolic syndrome were randomly divided into two groups; a case group, receiving saffron and a control group, receiving placebo. Concentration of serum leptin was measured at baseline and after 12 weeks of the start of study. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Results: There was a borderline (p=0.05) significant difference in serum leptin before and after treatment with saffron, but not in the placebo group. There was a significant difference in serum leptin concentrations between the groups (p=0.001). Conclusion: Saffron supplementation has no significant effect on serum leptin levels in patients with metabolic syndrome.