title: Protective effect ofCrocus sativusL. (Saffron) extract on spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of spinal cord is leading to the paraplegia observed. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of the saffron extract on spinal cord I/R injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty five male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: intact, sham surgery, normal saline (NS), low dose saffron aqua extract, high dose saffron aqua extract.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean motor deficit index (MDI) scores were significantly lower in the saffron extract groups than in the NS group at 48 hr after spinal cord ischemia (P<0.001). Saffron extract groups significantly decreased plasma level of malondialdehyde than in the NS Group (P<0.05). The number of motor normal neurons was significantly greater in the high saffron extract group than in the NS and low saffron group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that a saffron extract may protect spinal cord neurons from I/R injury.
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Gholam Hossein
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Farjah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Shadi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hasan
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Neurophysiology Research Center, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
authors.forename: Bagher
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pourheidar
keywords: Ischemia; Reperfusion; Saffron extract; Spinal cord