Crocetin administration ameliorates endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation in rabbits.
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a life-threatening secondary complication in several diseases, is characterized by large amounts of thrombin that lead to fibrin deposition and microthrombus formation throughout the microcirculation. Recent in-vitro studies suggest that crocin, crocetin or safranal, carotenoid constituents of the spice Crocus sativus L. (saffron), have antithrombotic properties, especially anti-Xa activity. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of crocetin on thrombosis procedure using a rabbit model of bacterial endotoxin-induced DIC. Crocetin administration (3 mg/kg), 30 min before the beginning of endotoxin infusion, improved DIC-related haemostatic indices such as platelet blood counts (P≤ 0.05), blood plasma fibrinogen and protein C concentration (P≤ 0.05). In addition, it ameliorated DIC-associated disease and fibrin deposition in the glomeruli (P≤ 0.05). These results indicate that crocetin reveals a preventive antithrombotic role in vivo and prescribe further investigation on the possibility of developing crocetin-based DIC treatment modalities.
School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
Maria P
MP
Tsantarliotou
Theofilos
T
Poutahidis
Dimitra
D
Markala
George
G
Kazakos
Vasiliki
V
Sapanidou
Sophia
S
Lavrentiadou
Ioannis
I
Zervos
Ioannis
I
Taitzoglou
Zacharias
Z
Sinakos
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004731:Endotoxins; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D013917:Thrombin / Q000378:metabolism; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
D000975:Antioxidants; D004731:Endotoxins; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011486:Protein C; C487773:trans-sodium crocetinate; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D005340:Fibrinogen; D013917:Thrombin