Preventive effects of hydroalcoholic extract of saffron on hematological parameters of experimental asthmatic rats

• Main Authors: Somayyeh Vosooghi (Author), Maryam Mahmoudabady (Author), Ali Neamati (Author), Heydar Aghababa (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, 2013-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2228-7930; 2228-7949
• Keywords: asthma; Crocus sativus; Inflammation; Rat; sensitization; WBC; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine, Vol 3, Iss 3, Pp 279-287 (2013)

Objective: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory airways distinguished by edema and infiltration of inflammatory immune cells. To test our hypothesis about the anti-inflammatory effect of saffron, we examined effects of Crocus sativus (C. sativus) extract as a prophylactic anti-inflammatory agent in sensitized rats. Materials and Methods: To induce experimental asthma, rats were sensitized with injection and inhalation of ovalbumin (OA). Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups (n=8 for each): control, sensitized (asthma), and sensitized and pretreated with three different concentrations of extract, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, 2 times a week (group asthma+50EX, group asthma+100EX, and group asthma+200EX). After 32 days, total white blood cells (WBC) counts, red blood cells (RBC), and platelet counts in blood were examined. Results: Total WBC number and eosinophil and neutrophil percentage in blood were increased, but lymphocyte decreased in sensitized animals compared with those of control group (pConclusion: Our findings indicated that the extract of C. sativus could be useful to prevent asthma as an anti-inflammatory treatment.