Protective antioxidant effects of saffron extract on retinas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Georgios Skourtis; Anthi Krontira; Stavroula Ntaoula; Anastasia Varvara Ferlemi; Konstantina Zeliou; Constantinos Georgakopoulos; Georgios Marigoula Margarity; Nikolaos Fotini Lamari; Nikolaos Pharmakakis

doi:10.22336/rjo.2020.61

Protective antioxidant effects of saffron extract on retinas of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Rom J Ophthalmol. 2020 Oct-Dec;64(4):394-403. doi: 10.22336/rjo.2020.61.

Authors

Georgios Skourtis¹, Anthi Krontira², Stavroula Ntaoula¹, Anastasia Varvara Ferlemi³, Konstantina Zeliou³, Constantinos Georgakopoulos¹, Georgios Marigoula Margarity², Nikolaos Fotini Lamari³, Nikolaos Pharmakakis¹

Affiliations

¹ Ophthalmology Clinic, Department of Medicine, University of Patras, Rio, Greece.
² Laboratory of Human and Animal Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Patras, Greece.
³ Laboratory of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Rio, Greece.

Abstract

Objective: Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of Crocus sativus L. styles (saffron) extract on oxidative stress indices of retina in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (n=20) were randomized into the following 4 groups (n=6-7/ group): Control group (C): normal, Control + Saffron group (CS): non-diabetic rats treated with 60 mg/ kg of saffron extract, Diabetic group (D) and Diabetic + Saffron group (DS): diabetic rats treated with 60 mg/ kg saffron extract. We determined the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) as markers of antioxidant response, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of lipid peroxidation. Results: Induction of diabetes caused a significant decline in the activities of CAT (76.43%), SOD (53.43%) and GPx (77.58%). MDA levels were significantly lower in the DS group (0.878 ± 0.375 nmol MDA/ mg protein) as compared to D group (1.950 ± 0.299 nmol MDA/ mg protein, p<0.01) and in the CS group (0.503 ± 0.221) in comparison to C group (1.699 ± 0.454, p<0.01). Moreover, SOD and GPx activities were significantly higher (more than 1.5 and 3.5-fold respectively) after treatment with saffron (p<0.01). Regarding the retinas of non-diabetic animals, the administration of the extract caused an > 1.8-fold increase in the activity of CAT (p<0.05) and a 3-fold decrease in MDA levels (p<0.01). Conclusions: This study showed that saffron extract has a protective antioxidant action in retinas of diabetic rats. Abbreviations: C = Control group, CS = non-diabetic rats diabetic rats treated with 60 mg/ kg saffron extract, D = diabetic group, DS = diabetic rats treated with 60 mg/ kg saffron extract, SOD = superoxide dismutase, GPx = glutathione peroxidase, CAT = catalase, MDA = malondialdehyde, DM = diabetes mellitus, DR = diabetic retinopathy, ROS = reactive oxygen species, STZ = streptozotocin, GSH = reduced glutathione.

Keywords: antioxidant defense enzymes; diabetes mellitus; lipid peroxidation; retina; saffron; streptozotocin.

MeSH terms

Animals
Crocus*
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental*
Diabetic Retinopathy / metabolism
Diabetic Retinopathy / prevention & control*
Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects*
Male
Oxidative Stress / drug effects*
Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Streptozocin / toxicity

Substances

Plant Extracts
Streptozocin