Antihyperglycemic and antioxidant activity of crocin in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

• Published in: Journal of medicinal food Vol. 16; no. 3; p. 206
• Main Authors: Rajaei, Ziba, Hadjzadeh, Mousa-Al-Reza, Nemati, Habibollah, Hosseini, Mahmoud, Ahmadi, Marzieh, Shafiee, Somayeh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2013
• Subjects: Animals; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antioxidants - therapeutic use; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Carotenoids - pharmacology; Carotenoids - therapeutic use; Crocus - chemistry; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - drug therapy; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; Lipid Peroxidation - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Male; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Sulfhydryl Compounds - metabolism; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - metabolism
• ISSN: 1557-7600
• DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2012.2407

The aim of the present study was to investigate the antihyperglycemic and protective potential of crocin, a pharmacologically active constituent of Crocus sativus L., in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were administered crocin intraperitoneally at doses of 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg of body weight for 6 weeks. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and total thiol (SH) groups were measured in the liver and kidney at the end of 6 weeks. Under our experimental conditions, crocin at a dose of 60 mg/kg was found to significantly reduce the blood glucose level in diabetic animals. In addition, there was a significant increase in TBARS levels and decreased total thiol concentrations in the liver and kidney of diabetic animals. Crocin, at doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg, appears to exert an antioxidative activity demonstrated by a lowering of lipid peroxidation levels in these organs. In conclusion, our findings suggest that crocin has the hypoglycemic and antioxidative properties in streptozotocin-induced diabetes and it may be useful in the management of diabetic patients.