Search Results (5)

Stress-related symptoms are a global concern, impacting millions of individuals, yet effective and safe treatments remain scarce. Although multiple studies have highlighted the stress- alleviating properties of saffron extract, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study employs the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model to investigate the impact of a standardized saffron extract, Affron^® (AFN), on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis regulation and neuroplasticity in Wistar rats following repeated oral administration. The research evaluates AFN’s effects on various stress-related parameters, including hypothalamic gene expression, stress hormone levels, and the sucrose preference test. In animals subjected to continuous unpredictable CMS, repetitive administration of AFN at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg effectively normalized HPA axis dysregulation and enhanced neuroplasticity. Increased concentrations of AFN demonstrated greater efficacy. Following AFN oral administration, adrenocorticotropic and corticosterone hormone levels exhibited significant or nearly significant reductions in comparison to subjects exposed to stress only. These changes align with the alleviation of stress and the normalization of the HPA axis. These findings elucidate AFN’s role in stress mitigation, affirm its health benefits, validate its potential as a treatment for stress-related symptoms, confirm its physiological effectiveness, and emphasize its therapeutic promise. Full article

Considering the interest in the bioactive properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), as well as its limited production and high price, saffron-based food supplements (SFS) are highly susceptible to adulteration. However, their complex composition and the wide variety of potential fraudulent practices make the comprehensive assessment of SFS quality a challenging task that has been scarcely addressed. To that aim, a new multianalytical strategy based on gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography with diode array detection coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS) was developed and validated in order to detect different frauds affecting SFS. Dried saffron stigmas and a commercial standardized saffron extract (affron^®) were selected as reference samples (RS) to obtain an authenticity profile, which was further used to evaluate the quality of 17 SFS. Up to 17 crocins and crocetins, 5 kaempferol glycosides, picrocrocin (determined for the first time by GC-MS), safranal, furanone and isophorone-related compounds were determined in RS. Safranal and crocins were identified in all SFS except for one sample. However, discrepancies with the content declared were detected in 65% of the cases. Moreover, this multianalytical methodology also allowed identifying undeclared additives and the non-declared addition of vegetable sources other than saffron. Full article

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep–wake cycles and is mainly synthesized in the pineal gland from tryptophan after its conversion into serotonin. Under normal conditions, less than 5% of tryptophan is reserved for the synthesis of serotonin and melatonin. The remaining 95% is metabolized in the liver through the kynurenine pathway. Increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and cortisol increase the metabolism of tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway and reduce its availability for the synthesis of melatonin and serotonin, which may cause alterations in mood and sleep. The standardized saffron extract (affron^®) has shown beneficial effects on mood and sleep disorders in humans, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Thus, the aim of this work was to study the effects of affron^® supplementation on the kynurenine pathway and the synthesis of melatonin in rats. For this purpose, adult male Wistar rats were supplemented for 7 days with 150 mg/kg of affron^® or vehicle (2 mL/kg water) administered by gavage one hour before sleep. Affron^® supplementation reduced body weight gain and increased the circulating levels of melatonin, testosterone, and c-HDL. Moreover, animals supplemented with affron^® showed decreased serum levels of kynurenine, ET-1, and c-LDL. In the pineal gland, affron^® reduced Il-6 expression and increased the expression of Aanat, the key enzyme for melatonin synthesis. In the liver, affron^® administration decreased the mRNA levels of the enzymes of the kynurenine pathway Ido-2, Tod-2, and Aadat, as well as the gene expression of Il-1β and Tnf-α. Finally, rats treated with affron^® showed increased mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzymes Ho-1, Sod-1, Gsr, and Gpx-3, both in the liver and in the pineal gland. In conclusion, affron^® supplementation reduces kynurenine levels and promotes melatonin synthesis in rats, possibly through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, making this extract a possible alternative for the treatment and/or prevention of mood and sleep disorders. Full article

Food supplements based on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) dried stigma extracts are widely consumed due to their multiple bioactive properties. Saffron extract (SE) standardization is of crucial importance, as it determines the reproducibility of the product quality and is essential for the evaluation of its bioactive effect and safety. Although SEs are commonly standardized considering their safranal content, the lack of specificity of the official methods may give inaccurate measurements. In addition to the development of more precise methodologies, the evaluation of alternative saffron components, such as crocins and picrocrocin, for standardization purposes would also be of interest. Thus, in this study, qualitative and quantitative information regarding picrocrocin and crocin isomers of different commercial saffron extracts was first obtained by a validated methodology using liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to diode array (DAD) and mass spectrometer (MS) detectors. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to gain insight into the compositional variability and natural grouping of SE. These studies suggested the potential use of the relative content of crocin isomers and trans-/cis-crocins and trans-4 GG/picrocrocin ratios as novel criteria for SE standardization. Their reproducibility and stability under controlled storage conditions for 36 months was demonstrated in a commercial standardized SE (affron^®). Full article

Anxiety and depression have high prevalence in the general population, affecting millions of people worldwide, but there is still a need for effective and safe treatments. Nutritional supplements have recently received a lot of attention, particularly saffron. Thus, several pre-clinical studies support a beneficial role for bioactive compounds, such as saffron, in anxiety and depression. Here we used an animal model of depression based on social isolation to assess the effects of affron^®, a standardized saffron extract containing ≥3.5% of total bioactive compounds safranal and crocin isomers. Affron^® was administered both through the oral and the intraperitoneal routes, and several tasks related to anxiety and depression, such as the elevated plus maze, the forced swimming test or the sucrose preference test, were assessed. These tasks model key features of depressive states and anxious states relating to fear, behavioral despair or anhedonia, the lack of motivation and/or pleasure from everyday activities, respectively. Animals receiving oral affron^® displayed behaviors congruent with improvements in their anxious/depressive state, showing the enhanced consumption of a sweet solution, as well as an increase in certain escape responses in the forced swimming test. Our data support a beneficial role for oral saffron in anxious/depressive states. Full article