title: Protective effects of saffron extract and crocin supplementation on fatty liver tissue of high-fat diet-induced obese rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Saffron is the dried stigma of Crocus sativus L. flower which commonly used as a natural remedy to enhance health and even fights disease in the Middle-East and Southeast Asian countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was aimed to investigate protective effect of saffron extract and crocin in fatty liver tissue of high-fat diet induced obese rats. A total of 36 healthy male ﻿Sprague Dawley ﻿rats were divided into six groups. Two groups served as controls, a normal diet (ND) and a high-fat diet (HFD). The other four groups were each supplemented with saffron extract and crocin at concentrations of 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight/day for 8 weeks. All groups except ND were fed with HFD until end of the study. At baseline, blood sample was collected for determination of levels of hepatic marker enzymes, including aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatise and albumin. Liver sample was collected, weighed and stained with haematoxylin and eosin for further histopathological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Saffron extract and crocin at concentrations of 40 and 80 mg/kg had dose-dependently alleviated levels of liver enzymes and histopathological changes in diet-induced obese rat model compared to control (HFD group).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggested that saffron extract and crocin supplements have hepatoprotective effect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and HFD-induced liver damage.
authors: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Mashmoul
authors: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. azrinaaz@upm.edu.my.|Laboratory of Halal Science Research, Halal Products Research Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. azrinaaz@upm.edu.my.|Research Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. azrinaaz@upm.edu.my.
authors: Azrina
authors: A
authors: Azlan
authors: Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Norhafizah
authors: N
authors: Mohtarrudin
authors: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.|Research Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Barakatun Nisak
authors: BN
authors: Mohd Yusof
authors: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Huzwah
authors: H
authors: Khaza'ai
authors: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.|Research Centre of Excellence for Nutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors: Hock Eng
authors: HE
authors: Khoo
authors: Cancer Molecular Pathology Research Center, Imam Reza Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: Mehdi
authors: M
authors: Farzadnia
authors: Pharmacological Research Center of Medicinal Plants, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors: Mohammad Taher
authors: MT
authors: Boroushaki
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D059305:Diet, High-Fat; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004435:Eating; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents
keywords: Crocin; Fatty liver; High-fat diet; Histopathology; NAFLD; Obesity; Saffron extract