title: Protective effect of crocetin against burn-induced intestinal injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oxidative stress and inflammation exert central roles in burn-induced intestinal injury. Crocetin, a natural carotenoid compound from gardenia fruits and saffron, has been shown to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response. However, the possibility of crocetin to be used in the treatment of intestinal injury after burn injury has not been investigated. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of crocetin in burn-induced intestinal injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Several free radical-generating and lipid peroxidation models were used to systematically assess the antioxidant activities of crocetin in vitro. A common burn model was used to induce the intestinal injury in rats. Changes in the levels of malondialdehyde, superoxidase dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, polymorphonuclear neutrophil accumulation, intestinal permeability, and intestinal histology were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In several models of antioxidant activity, crocetin exhibited marked inhibitory action against free radicals and lipid peroxidation. Crocetin increased levels of antioxidant enzymes and reduced intestinal oxidative injury in burn models. In addition, crocetin inhibited polymorphonuclear neutrophil accumulation, ameliorated tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6 levels, intestinal permeability, and histological changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crocetin treatment may protect against burn-induced small intestinal injury, possibly by inhibiting burn-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Brigade of student, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: Qiaohua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiongxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China. Electronic address: adwen2012@163.com.
authors.forename: Aidong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Department of Burns and Cutaneous Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, PR China. Electronic address: yangxuekang628@sohu.com.
authors.forename: Xuekang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D002056:Burns / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007422:Intestines / Q000293:injuries*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C487773:trans-sodium crocetinate; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids
keywords: Burn injury; Crocetin; Inflammation; Intestinal injury; Oxidative stress