title: Involvement of Ca2+ in the inhibition by crocetin of platelet activity and thrombosis formation.
abstract: Crocetin, a unique carotenoid with potent antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities, is a major ingredient of saffron used as an important spice and food colorant in various parts of the world. In the present study, the effects of crocetin on platelet activity and thrombosis formation were systematically investigated. Crocetin showed a dose-dependent inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, but not by arachidonic acid (AA). Crocetin significantly attenuated dense granule release, while neither platelets adhesion to collagen nor cyclic AMP level was altered by crocetin. Pretreatment with crocetin was confirmed to partially inhibit Ca (2+) mobilization via reducing both intracellular Ca (2+) release and extracellular Ca (2+) influx. Besides that, crocetin prolonged the occlusive time in electrical stimulation-induced carotid arterial thrombosis. These findings suggest that the favorable impacts of crocetin on platelet activity and thrombosis formation may be related to the inhibition of Ca (2+) elevation in stimulated platelets.
authors.affiliation: Department of pharmacology, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjia xiang, Nanjing 210009, PR China.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhiyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Chenghua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Hamid Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kazi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; C487773:trans-sodium crocetinate; D014801:Vitamin A; D012701:Serotonin; D002338:Carotenoids; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D002118:Calcium