title: Protective effect of crocin on diazinon induced vascular toxicity in subchronic exposure in rat aorta ex-vivo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diazinon (DZN) is a widely used organophosphate insecticide. Although mechanism of DZN cardiovascular toxicity is primarily mediated through inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, however, DZN causes remarkable atropine-insensitive hypotension in rats. It has been proved that oxidative stress is an important mechanism of DZN toxicity especially in chronic exposure. Crocin, an active ingredient of saffron, has been found to antagonize the hypotensive effects of DZN in rats, but do not reverse acetylcholinesterase inhibition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study the effects of DZN on contractile and relaxant responses in rat aorta as well as ex-vivo antioxidant actions of crocin have been investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were divided into 7 groups: corn oil (control), DZN (15 mg/kg/day, gavage), crocin (12.5, 25 and 50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) plus DZN, vitamin E (200 IU/kg, i.p., three days a week) plus DZN and crocin (50 mg/kg/day, i.p.) groups. Treatments were continued for 4 weeks. Contractile and relaxant responses were evaluated on the isolated aorta.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that DZN not only decreased the contractile responses to KCl and Phenylephrine (PE) (p < 0.001), but also attenuated the relaxant response to acetylcholine (ACh) (p < 0.01). Crocin and vitamin E attenuated lipid peroxidation, improved the reduction of contractile responses by KCl and PE and restored the decrease in ACh relaxation in rat aorta.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DZN induced vascular toxicity which may be due to oxidative stress and not to a cholinergic mechanism. Crocin improved toxic effects of DZN via reducing lipid peroxidation and restoring altered contractile and relaxant responses in rat aorta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacodynamy and Toxicology, Targeted Drug Delivery Research Center, School of Pharmacy .
authors.forename: Bibi Marjan
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Razavi
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hosseinzadeh
authors.forename: Khalil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abnous
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imenshahidi
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D001011:Aorta / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry; D003976:Diazinon / Q000633:toxicity*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D014810:Vitamin E; D010656:Phenylephrine; D002338:Carotenoids; C029036:crocin; D000109:Acetylcholine; D003976:Diazinon
keywords: Crocin; Crocus sativus L.; diazinon; isolated rat aorta; saffron