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Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects 50–70% of patients with dementia, making it the leading cause of dementia. The condition is classified as a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable disease. The disease is affecting more and more people around the world. AD has a multifactorial nature, spreading from beta-amyloid deposition to inflammation in patients' brains. Patients experience cognitive impairment and functional decline. Although it is a disease that occurs mainly in the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people between the ages of 30 and 40. It not only affects the patient themself but also reduces the quality of life of their closest caregivers. According to the WHO, the treatment of AD consumes USD 1.3 trillion globally, but it is only symptomatic, as there are no drugs to prevent the onset of AD or treat the cause of its onset. Due to the numerous side effects of therapy and the lack of proactive drugs that act on the pathomechanism of AD, alternative therapies are being sought. One possible option that has many studies confirming its effect is phytotherapy. Many herbs have pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or neuroprotective effects, making them the future of cognitive disorders and AD treatment. This review focuses on some of the most promising herbs that have potentially potent properties and effects in AD therapy. These include Curcuma longa, Panax ginseng, Berberis and Crocus sativus. These herbs may perhaps be key in the future to make functioning and life easier for patients struggling with AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current therapies for depression are moderately effective, as response and remission rates were reported at 50% and 15-40%, following the first trial with current medications, respectively, and electroconvulsive therapy is not beneficial for more than half of the resistant patients. Recent research suggests that medication with glutamatergic modulatory properties may have antidepressant effects and would be of benefit to refractory patients. This study aims to review the efficacy of these medications in the treatment of unipolar depression. Ketamine, as the leading drug acting through the glutamatergic system, appears to be effective in treating depression IV and orally and in combination with electroconvulsive therapy. There is also clinical evidence of the promising effects of amantadine and lanicemine. Supplements and herbs such as L-carnosine, Crocus sativus (saffron), and Cinnamomum tamala, which were reported to be effective in randomized controlled trials on patients with depression, may act through this system as an antidepressant. Taken together, glutamate receptor modulators are alternative drugs for patients with resistant depression. Further high-quality clinical studies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn a collaboration between Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and CEA, in the fall of 2020, the experimental Programme d’Étude en Transmission de l’Acier Lourd et ses Eléments (PETALE) was successfully carried out in the CROCUS reactor of EPFL. This article presents and compares the methods tested in the modeling of the experiments, specifically focusing on the metal reflectors installed at the periphery of CROCUS. A basic design model consisting of a few cuboids was refined to a fully detailed version, without impacting the run time of simulations. Notably, each reflector sheet of PETALE was segmented into 121 voxels based on topological measurements. This detailed voxelization did not affect calculation times, thanks to the use of three-dimensional lattices as available in Serpent 2. Profiling of the simulations revealed the high computational surface transformations associated with Serpent 2 and highlighted the efficiency benefits of factorizing these into universe transformations. As the CROCUS simulations were carried out using a modified build of Serpent 2, additional simulations were also performed using a standard version of Serpent 2 with a GODIVA model as a neutron source to ensure that the findings are generalizable. These additional tests confirmed the initial results, with significant performance variations observed between the models, particularly larger in surface-tracking mode than in delta-tracking mode. Consequently, the modeling method may therefore be applied to future high-fidelity modeling of neutron transmission and shielding experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic and nomenclatural account on taxa of Iridaceae proposed by Ferdinand Schur, a famous investigator of the flora of Transylvania (present‐day Romania), is presented. Types are designated for 12 names, namely lectotypes for Crocus banaticus var. niveus, C. exiguus, Iris fieberi var. monantha, I. × binata, I. × cucullata, I. pseudocyperus, I. transsilvanica, I. sibirica var. salina, and neotypes for C. banaticus var. concolor, C. banaticus var. pictus, C. banaticus var. versicolor and I. pumila var. albiflora. Based on a broad examination of Schur's original and authentic material, the taxonomic application of these names, as well as of his invalidly published and unpublished names (appearing only on herbarium labels), are clarified. It is proposed to treat I. fieberi var. monantha as a taxonomic synonym of I. aphylla, I. pumila var. albiflora and I. transsilvanica as synonyms of I. pumila, and I. sibirica var. salina as a synonym of I. spuria. The names I. × binata and I. × cucullata are accepted for the hybrids I. aphylla × pumila and I. × germanica × pallida, respectively. The treatment of I. pseudocyperus as a distinct subspecies within I. graminea is supported. All names validly published by Schur in Crocus are treated as synonyms of C. heuffelianus s.l. until an adequate taxonomic revision covering the southern Carpathian allotetraploid C. cf. heuffelianus (2n = 18) is implemented. If this polyploid deserves the rank of a distinct species, the name C. exiguus, which seems to be the earliest validly published, should be accepted for this taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated whether the corm tunic structure, which is the underground part of the Crocus (Iridaceae) plant, can be used for adsorption and recovery/removal of uranium from an aqueous solution. The characterization of this structure, which has not been studied for its interaction with metals before, has been elucidated by point zero charge (PZC), FTIR, and SEM analyses. Extensive investigations were conducted on the adsorption properties of the biomass used and the pH, temperature, time, adsorbent dosage, and uranyl ion concentration variables were optimized. The experimental data were interpreted using theoretical adsorption models. The Langmuir model revealed a maximum adsorption capacity of the material to be 0.286 mol kg−1. Adsorption kinetics were also described using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, and intra-particular diffusion models. It is shown that the adsorption pH reaches the highest adsorption at the natural pH of the uranium solution. Experimental studies showed that the adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous. It has been shown that this biomaterial can be used as an adsorbent for the removal of uranium as well as a biomarker for determining the environmental uranium concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Crocins are glucosylated apocarotenoids present in flowers and fruits of a few plant species, including saffron, gardenia, and Buddleja. The biosynthesis of crocins in these plants has been unraveled, and the enzymes engineered for the production of crocins in heterologous systems. Mullein (Verbascum sp.) has been identified as a new source of crocins and picrocrocin. In this work, we have identified eight enzymes involved in the cleavage of carotenoids in two Verbascum species, V. giganteum and V. sinuatum. Four of them were homologous to the previously identified BdCCD4.1 and BdCCD4.3 from Buddleja, involved in the biosynthesis of crocins. These enzymes were analyzed for apocarotenogenic activity in bacteria and Nicotiana benthamiana plants using a virus‐driven system. Metabolic analyses of bacterial extracts and N. benthamiana leaves showed the efficient activity of these enzymes to produce crocins using β‐carotene and zeaxanthin as substrates. Accumulations of 0.17% of crocins in N. benthamiana dry leaves were reached in only 2 weeks using a recombinant virus expressing VgCCD4.1, similar to the amounts previously produced using the canonical saffron CsCCD2L. The identification of these enzymes, which display a particularly broad substrate spectrum, opens new avenues for apocarotenoid biotechnological production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of snow accumulation and melt is a critical part of decision‐making in snow‐dominated watersheds. In this study, we demonstrate a flexible methodology to couple a detailed snow model, Crocus, separately to two different land surface models (LSMs), Noah‐MP and Noah. The original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) are used to simulate snow depth, snow water equivalent, and other water and energy states and fluxes. The results of simulations are compared against a wide range of independent gridded and point scale reference data sets. Our results show that coupling the detailed snow model, Crocus, with the LSMs improves the snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to independent observations. Overall, larger improvements are obtained with coupling Crocus to the Noah LSM, with the coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration reducing the RMSE and bias of snow depth from 2% to 12% and 57% to 75%, respectively, relative to Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and snow product from the University of Arizona. On the other hand, smaller improvements are obtained by coupling Crocus with Noah‐MP. The Coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus reduces the snow depth bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of snow depth and snow water equivalent. The corresponding impacts in other water budget terms such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, however, are mixed, pointing to the significant need to improve the coupling assumptions of these processes within land models. Overall, the interoperable coupling framework demonstrated here offers the opportunity to include more detailed snow physics and processes, and to advance data assimilation systems through improved exploitation of information from snow remote sensing instruments. Plain Language Summary: We introduce a new approach that combines Crocus, a detailed snow model, with land surface models (LSMs) in the NASA Land Information System. As a demonstration, we coupled Crocus with Noah‐MP and Noah. In each time step, Crocus uses atmospheric forcing data, snow‐ground interface temperature, and soil water content from the LSMs to run snow physics. It then returns total profile snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow depth (SD) states to the LSMs. We compare the SD, SWE, and other water and energy states and fluxes from the original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) against various independent reference data sets. The coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration improves the RMSE and bias of SD and SWE. However, the coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus configuration improves the bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of SD and SWE. Despite the improvements in SD and SWE, a corresponding enhancement in evapotranspiration and soil moisture is not observed. We attribute these discrepancies to uncertainties in LSM parameterizations and associated biases in these variables. The coupling framework introduced here is modular and can be extended to enable the interaction between a given specialized physics model and the general LSM. Key Points: This work presents a new framework that couples the Crocus snow model, with Land Surface Models within the NASA Land Information SystemThe coupled systems improve the estimation of snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to the gridded observationsThe corresponding impacts in other water budget terms, such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, are mixed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have the ability to self-renew and proliferate which gives them healing properties in various tissues. Aluminium chloride (AlCl3) is a chemical compound with harmful effects on health; oxidative stress caused by Aluminium has been reported previously. Crocin, a major component of Crocus sa-tivus (saffron), has antioxidant properties and has shown therapeutic potential. Researchers have been looking for ways to reduce the harmful effects of AlCl3. Methods: To investigate whether crocin can reduce AlCl3 cytotoxicity, rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BM-MSCs) were isolated, cultured and divided into four experimental groups. The first group was the control, which was untreated cells. The second and third groups were treated with crocin (50, 100, 250, 500 µM) and AlCl3 (20, 25, 30 mM) for 24 hr. The fourth group was pre-treated with crocin (250, 500 µM) for 24 hr and then treated with AlCl3 (20 mM) overnight. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay. Mineralization was evaluated by alizarin red staining. Sox-2 and E-cadherin expression were measured using real-time PCR. Results: The results showed that AlCl3 caused cytotoxicity on BM-MSCs and decreased the mRNA expression of Sox-2 and E-cadherin, which are important for the maintenance of self-renewal and proliferation of BM-MSCs. In contrast, crocin protected the self-renewal characteristic of BM-MSCs by increasing Sox-2 expression and also preserved the proliferative effects on BM-MSCs by upregulating E-cadherin expression (***p≤0.001). Conclusion: Overall, the study suggests that crocin can protect BM-MSCs from AlCl3-induced cytotoxicity by upregulate Sox-2 expression and E-cadherin expression. This suggests that crocin may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of AlCl3-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocus L. (Iridaceae) is systematically a very problematic genus due to the lack of clear distinctive features, wide range of habitats and the heterogeneity of morphological features. This genus is also highly heterogeneous from a karyological point of view. Apart from the most common spiraperturate pollen grains in Crocus, the authors frequently mentioned a number of other aperture types for individual species (subspecies, variations, etc.), i.e. polyrugoidate, nonaperturate (inaperturate), polyaperturate, with more or less extensive furrows, with short furrows, etc. The purpose of this work is to perform a palyno-morphological analysis of pollen aperture types noted in the genus Crocus. The reason for the study is a significant disagreement among researchers when describing the types of pollen apertures in the genus Crocus. An analysis of the literature, as well as the results of our previous studies, showed that the genus Crocus is characterized by inaperturate (nonaperturate), polyaperturoidate, spiraperturate and net-like pollen apertures. The similar net-like apertures were observed for some representatives of the subgenus Scorpiris Sach of the genus Iris L., in particular, in Iris atropatana Grossh. In our opinion, this aperture type can serve as a link between the genus Crocus and the subgenus Scorpiris of the genus Iris. We suggest, that the spiraperturate pollen type mentioned most often for the representatives of the genus Crocus can be considered the basic type within the genus. On the other hand, formless aperture-like areas are genetically unstable transitory variations, which occurred arbitrarily due to mutations. Finally, "polyrugoidate" (or with net-like apertures) pollen type noted in the literature for C. chrysanthus subsp. punctatus F.Candan et N.Özhatay may be considered to be more advanced in the genus Crocus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Accurate estimation of snow accumulation and melt is a critical part of decision‐making in snow‐dominated watersheds. In this study, we demonstrate a flexible methodology to couple a detailed snow model, Crocus, separately to two different land surface models (LSMs), Noah‐MP and Noah. The original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) are used to simulate snow depth, snow water equivalent, and other water and energy states and fluxes. The results of simulations are compared against a wide range of independent gridded and point scale reference data sets. Our results show that coupling the detailed snow model, Crocus, with the LSMs improves the snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to independent observations. Overall, larger improvements are obtained with coupling Crocus to the Noah LSM, with the coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration reducing the RMSE and bias of snow depth from 2% to 12% and 57% to 75%, respectively, relative to Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and snow product from the University of Arizona. On the other hand, smaller improvements are obtained by coupling Crocus with Noah‐MP. The Coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus reduces the snow depth bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of snow depth and snow water equivalent. The corresponding impacts in other water budget terms such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, however, are mixed, pointing to the significant need to improve the coupling assumptions of these processes within land models. Overall, the interoperable coupling framework demonstrated here offers the opportunity to include more detailed snow physics and processes, and to advance data assimilation systems through improved exploitation of information from snow remote sensing instruments.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects 50–70% of patients with dementia, making it the leading cause of dementia. The condition is classified as a neurodegenerative, progressive and incurable disease. The disease is affecting more and more people around the world. AD has a multifactorial nature, spreading from beta-amyloid deposition to inflammation in patients’ brains. Patients experience cognitive impairment and functional decline. Although it is a disease that occurs mainly in the elderly, it is increasingly being diagnosed in young people between the ages of 30 and 40. It not only affects the patient themself but also reduces the quality of life of their closest caregivers. According to the WHO, the treatment of AD consumes USD 1.3 trillion globally, but it is only symptomatic, as there are no drugs to prevent the onset of AD or treat the cause of its onset. Due to the numerous side effects of therapy and the lack of proactive drugs that act on the pathomechanism of AD, alternative therapies are being sought. One possible option that has many studies confirming its effect is phytotherapy. Many herbs have pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or neuroprotective effects, making them the future of cognitive disorders and AD treatment. This review focuses on some of the most promising herbs that have potentially potent properties and effects in AD therapy. These include Curcuma longa, Panax ginseng, Berberis and Crocus sativus. These herbs may perhaps be key in the future to make functioning and life easier for patients struggling with AD.

Abstract Background Evidence suggests that menopause can be associated with a variety of negative psychological changes such as depression and anxiety, and improving the mental health status of women during menopause is one of the important priorities and challenges of the health system. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women. Methods In this randomized clinical trial which was conducted in 2021, 72 postmenopausal women were enrolled and divided into intervention and control groups. The randomization blocks method was used for random allocation, and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was utilized to measure the scores. The intervention included the use of 30 mg of dried stigmas of the saffron plant, which was boiled once (in the morning, in 300 ml of boiling water for 10–15 min) and consumed with white rock candy as one cup of saffron tea daily. To compare the trend of changes and after removing the effect of other variables, generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used. Results There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in any of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics (p > 0.05). The results of paired samples t-test showed that the happiness mean score in the intervention group increased significantly (p

ABSTRACT Purpose: Chronic inflammation in the liver is a key trigger for liver injury and fibrosis in various liver diseases. Given the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Saffron, this study aimed to investigate the pharmacological effects of Saffron on hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Methods: The mice model of hepatic fibrosis was constructed using CCl4, and Saffron was administered at low (10 mg/kg) and high (20 mg/kg) doses by gavage. Then, the changes in liver function, liver inflammation and fibrosis markers were evaluated. The effects and mechanisms of Saffron on hepatic stellate cells were further investigated in in-vitro experiments. Results: Saffron improved liver function, reduced liver inflammation and attenuated liver fibrosis in a dose-dependent manner in hepatic fibrosis mice. Furthermore, Western blotting showed that Saffron significantly inhibited JAK/STAT3 phosphorylation in fibrotic livers. Conclusions: Saffron can attenuate liver fibrosis by inhibiting the JAK/STAT3 pathway and the activation of hepatic stellate cell, providing a theoretical basis for the development of new anti-fibrotic drugs.

Global rates of adolescent obesity have led the World Health Organization to consider the disease a pandemic that needs focus. In search of new anti-obesity agents, Crocus sativus, popularly known as saffron, is a nutraceutical agent, praised for its beneficial effects. The study aimed to investigate the possible effect of Kozanis saffron administration on weight management of obese prediabetic adolescents. Seventy-four obese prediabetic adolescents participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of three arms, randomly assigned to receive either Kozanis saffron (n = 25, 60 mg/day), metformin (n = 25, 1000 mg/day) or a placebo (n = 24), for twelve weeks. Anthropometry, glycemic markers and lipid profiles were investigated at baseline and post-intervention. Saffron supplementation significantly reduced the weight z-score, BMI, BMI z-score and waist circumference (WC) of obese adolescents; however, this reduction was less significant compared to the effect of metformin. Metformin administration offered a significantly more profound improvement in anthropometry compared to saffron administration. Saffron administration also provided significant improvements in weight, weight z-scores, BMI values, BMI z-scores and WCs compared to the placebo. Saffron supplementation failed to change any glycemic marker, but provided a significant reduction in fasting triglyceride levels and also a significant increase in fasting HDL levels. Saffron Kozanis constitutes a promising nutraceutical option for adolescents and children with obesity and prediabetes in need of weight management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), an inflammatory cytokine, is produced by monocytes and macrophages. It is known as a 'double-edged sword' because it is responsible for advantageous and disadvantageous events in the body system. The unfavorable incident includes inflammation, which induces some diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, obesity, cancer, and diabetes. Many medicinal plants have been found to prevent inflammation, such as saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and black seed (Nigella sativa). Therefore, the purpose of this review was to assess the pharmacological effects of saffron and black seed on TNF-α and diseases related to its imbalance. Different databases without time limitations were investigated up to 2022, including PubMed, Scopus, Medline, and Web of Science. All the original articles (in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies) were collected on the effects of black seed and saffron on TNF-α. Black seed and saffron have therapeutic effects against many disorders, such as hepatotoxicity, cancer, ischemia, and non-alcoholic fatty liver, by decreasing TNF-α levels based on their anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. Saffron and black seed can treat a variety of diseases by suppressing TNF-α and exhibiting a variety of activities such as neuroprotective, gastroprotective, immunomodulatory, antimicrobial, analgesic, antitussive, bronchodilator, antidiabetic activity, anticancer, and antioxidant effects. To uncover the beneficial underlying mechanisms of black seed and saffron, more clinical trials and phytochemical research are required. Also, these two plants affect other inflammatory cytokines, hormones, and enzymes, implying that they could be used to treat a variety of diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests that menopause can be associated with a variety of negative psychological changes such as depression and anxiety, and improving the mental health status of women during menopause is one of the important priorities and challenges of the health system. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L., Iridaceae) herbal tea on happiness in postmenopausal women. Methods: In this randomized clinical trial which was conducted in 2021, 72 postmenopausal women were enrolled and divided into intervention and control groups. The randomization blocks method was used for random allocation, and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire was utilized to measure the scores. The intervention included the use of 30 mg of dried stigmas of the saffron plant, which was boiled once (in the morning, in 300 ml of boiling water for 10–15 min) and consumed with white rock candy as one cup of saffron tea daily. To compare the trend of changes and after removing the effect of other variables, generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in any of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics (p > 0.05). The results of paired samples t-test showed that the happiness mean score in the intervention group increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 42.93 ± 8.54 to 61.58 ± 8.24, while in the control group, there was no significant difference between the happiness mean score at the beginning and end of the study (p = 0.861). Also, after applying the treatment program in the intervention group, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the happiness mean scores (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Saffron herbal tea had a positive effect on reducing depression and increasing the happiness score; thus, it is recommended that it should be used as a complementary treatment in consultation with the treating physician. Trial registration: The present study was registered with the code of IRCT20210403050818N1 (Registration date: 09/04/2021) in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. It was also approved by the Ethics Committee of Larestan University of Medical Sciences (Approval ID: IR.LARUMS.REC.1399.017). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most important complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines play an essential role in the development and progression of DN. Despite adopting appropriate therapies, many patients with DN progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, exploring innovative strategies for better management of DN is crucial. Crocin, a natural compound found in saffron, has profound antioxidant, antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of crocin in attenuation of the progression of DN. Methods In this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 44 patients with T2DM and microalbuminuria were randomly assigned to receive either crocin (15 mg/day) or a placebo for 90 days. Eventually, 40 patients completed the study: 21 patients in the crocin group and 19 in the placebo group. The primary outcome was a change in urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (uACR) from baseline to the end of the treatment period. We also evaluated metabolic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters as the secondary outcomes. Results The results of the present study showed that uACR increased in both groups, but the increment was not significantly higher in the crocin group compared with the placebo. Serum levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) decreased in the crocin group and increased in the placebo group, but none of these changes was significant. Crocin significantly reduced triglyceride (TG) as an important metabolic parameter (P-Value = 0.03). Conclusion This study has shown that crocin may be a safe and potential adjunct to conventional therapies for DN patients but because of our limitations such as short duration of the treatment period, and prescribing low doses of crocin, we could not achieve the significant level.

Reliable and detailed measurements of atmospheric and snow conditions in the Arctic are limited. While modern atmospheric reanalyses could potentially replace the former, the latter can be principally simulated by dedicated snow modelling. However, because the uncertainties of reanalyses and modelling are still exceptionally large at high latitudes, a thorough analysis of the performance of atmospheric reanalyses and the snow model simulations are required. Specifically, we aim to answer the following questions for Villum Research Station (VRS), northeast Greenland: (1) What are the predominant snow and meteorological conditions? (2) What are systematic differences between the modern atmospheric reanalysis ERA5 and in situ measurements? (3) Can the snow model Crocus simulate reliably snow depth and stratigraphy? We systematically compare atmospheric in situ measurements and ERA5 reanalysis (November 2015–August 2018) and evaluate simulated and measured snow depth (October 2014–September 2018). Moreover, modelled and measured vertical profiles of snow density and snow specific surface area (SSA) are analysed for two days where a survey had taken place. We found good agreement between in situ and ERA5 atmospheric variables with correlation coefficients >0.84 except for precipitation, wind speed, and wind direction. ERA5’s resolution is too coarse to resolve the topography in the study area adequately, leading presumably to the detected biases. Crocus can simulate satisfactorily the evolution of snow depth, but simulations of SSA and density profiles, whether driven by ERA5 or in situ measurements are biased compared to measurements. Unexpectedly, measured snow depth agrees better with ERA5 driven simulation than with simulation forced with in situ measurements (explained variance: 0.73 versus 0.23). This is due to differences in snowfall, humidity and air temperature between both forcing datasets. In conclusion, ERA5 has great potential to force snow models but the use of Crocus in the Arctic is affected by limitations such as inappropriate parametrisations for Arctic snowpack evolution, but also by lack of process formulations such as vertical water vapour transport. These limitations strongly affect the accuracy of the vertical profiles of physical snow properties.

The present study was planned to assess total phenolic and flavonoid content and some biological properties (antioxidant, toxicity, and anthelmintic) of the methanol extract of Crocus cancellatus subsp. lycuis from Muğla province (Turkey) for the first time. It was found that the total phenolic (2.08±0.06 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid (3.63±0.09 mg QE/g) contents of the aerial part extract were higher than the bulb extract. The aerial part extract (IC50 value: 0,86±0,03 mg/mL, IC50 value: 0,26±0,003 mg/mL, 0,77±0,007 mg TE/g, and 5,92±0,30 mg TE/g, respectively) was determined to exhibit the higher activity than that of bulb parts extract in the assays shortly named as DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC. Both extracts were observed to have anthelmintic activity on brine shrimp. According to these results, Crocus cancellatus subsp. lycuis can be accepted as a good source for the pharmaceutical and food industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxin and drug-induced nephrotoxicity (DIN) account for about 25% of all acute kidney injury cases and are associated with morbidity and increased utilization of healthcare services. No approved preventive compound is available for DIN. Saffron (Crocus sativus) has important biological properties like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The protective effects of saffron and its main constituents in different tissues including the brain, heart, liver, kidney, and lung have been confirmed against some toxic materials or drugs in animal studies. This review covers all aspects of saffron’s preventive and therapeutic effects against toxins and DIN including proposed mechanism of action, dosing schedule, and effects on renal biomarkers and histological changes. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched by these search terms: “saffron” OR “Crocus sativus” OR “crocetin” OR “crocin “OR “safranal” AND “Drug induced nephrotoxicity” OR “Renal Injury” OR “Kidney Injury” OR “Nephrotoxicity”. All 25 relevant in vitro and in vivo studies up to the date of publication were included. Promising protective effects were reported particularly on aminoglycosides, cisplatin, and ethanol. Saffron and its constituents significantly prevented biochemical and histopathological changes, mediating via antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, and anti-inflammatory effects. Despite success in animal models, no human study is available in this field and further well-designed clinical trials are necessary for better judgment.

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurological disorder in the elderly, manifests with distinctive movement disorders, including bradykinesia, resting tremor, and stiffness. With a progressive course, current treatment strategies primarily target symptomatic relief. Crocin is a chemical compound isolated from the dry stigma of Crocus sativus, and has demonstrated neuroprotective properties. This study explores the impact of crocin on movement disorders and neuronal oxidative DNA damage in PD patients. Conducted as a randomized, blinded, and controlled trial, this research focused on patients aged 30 to 80 with idiopathic PD. Using the second and third parts of the movement disorder society-unified PD rating scale (MDS-UPDRS), aspects of daily life activity and movement disorders were assessed before and after an 8-week intervention. Patients in the crocin groups received capsules containing 30 mg of crocin twice daily. Additionally, the 8-hydroxy-2-deoxydiguanosine (8-OHdG) to urinary creatinine ratio (8-OHdG/uCr) was measured to evaluate neuronal oxidative DNA damage. Out of the initially evaluated 164 patients, 30 were randomly assigned to each group, with 53 subjects completing the study. Within-group analysis revealed a significant improvement in the second and third parts of MDS-UPDRS after 8 weeks of crocin intervention (P < 0.05). However, the 8-OHdG/uCr did not show significant changes. The well-tolerated daily dose of 60 mg of crocin demonstrated minimal side effects. This study establishes the efficacy of crocin in enhancing daily life activities and mitigating movement disorders, suggesting its potential as a supplementary intervention alongside conventional PD medications. • Crocin is a substance extracted from the Crocus sativus plant that has dopaminergic and serotonergic effects. • It seems that crocin with its dopaminergic effect can reduce movement disorders caused by Parkinson's disease. • Parkinson's patients receiving crocin have improved in the second and third parts of the MDS-UPDRS questionnaire. • Using 30 mg twice a day of crocin in patients with crocin is safe and has no dangerous side effects. • Crocin may be able to increase the quality of life by Reducing movement disorders and simultaneously improving depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global rates of adolescent obesity have led the World Health Organization to consider the disease a pandemic that needs focus. In search of new anti-obesity agents, Crocus sativus, popularly known as saffron, is a nutraceutical agent, praised for its beneficial effects. The study aimed to investigate the possible effect of Kozanis saffron administration on weight management of obese prediabetic adolescents. Seventy-four obese prediabetic adolescents participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of three arms, randomly assigned to receive either Kozanis saffron (n = 25, 60 mg/day), metformin (n = 25, 1000 mg/day) or a placebo (n = 24), for twelve weeks. Anthropometry, glycemic markers and lipid profiles were investigated at baseline and post-intervention. Saffron supplementation significantly reduced the weight z-score, BMI, BMI z-score and waist circumference (WC) of obese adolescents; however, this reduction was less significant compared to the effect of metformin. Metformin administration offered a significantly more profound improvement in anthropometry compared to saffron administration. Saffron administration also provided significant improvements in weight, weight z-scores, BMI values, BMI z-scores and WCs compared to the placebo. Saffron supplementation failed to change any glycemic marker, but provided a significant reduction in fasting triglyceride levels and also a significant increase in fasting HDL levels. Saffron Kozanis constitutes a promising nutraceutical option for adolescents and children with obesity and prediabetes in need of weight management.

Background: Assessing the progress of labor is a primary step in intrapartum care. This study was performed to assess comparison of the effects of date syrup with saffron–honey syrup on the progress of labor in nulliparous women. Materials and Methods: A randomized single-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 189 women who were referred to Bea'sat Hospital of Sanandaj from October 2019 to March 2020. Patients were randomly divided into three groups saffron–honey syrup, date syrup, and placebo syrup each including 63 cases. Each participant in the intervention and control groups received a maximum volume of 150 ml of saffron–honey syrup, date syrup, or placebo syrup. The syrups were given at the 4 cm dilation, and every 30–60 min until the end of the active phase of the first stage of labor. Data collection tools included a two-part questionnaire and a partograph form. The results were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 using Chi-squared test, analysis of variance, and last significant difference as a post hoc test, the significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The duration of the active phases of the first (F2 = 92.70, p < 0.01), second (F2 = 66.76, p < 0.01), and third (F2 = 12.34, p < 0.01) stages of labor was shorter in the date syrup and saffron–honey syrup groups than in the control group (p < 0.01). Additionally, both experimental groups exhibited no significant difference in terms of duration between the first (p = 0.312), second (p = 0.724), and third (p = 0.911) stages of labor. Conclusions: Date syrup and saffron–honey syrup can be used as one of the safe and available herbal methods to facilitate labor.

Summary: Crocins are beneficial antioxidants and potential chemotherapeutics that give raise, together with picrocrocin, to the colour and taste of saffron, the most expensive spice, respectively. Crocins are formed from crocetin dialdehyde that is produced in Crocus sativus from zeaxanthin by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2L (CsCCD2L), while GjCCD4a from Gardenia jasminoides, another major source of crocins, converted different carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, into crocetin dialdehyde in bacterio. To establish a biotechnological platform for sustainable production of crocins, we investigated the enzymatic activity of GjCCD4a, in comparison with CsCCD2L, in citrus callus engineered by Agrobacterium‐mediated supertransformation of multi genes and in transiently transformed Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. We demonstrate that co‐expression of GjCCD4a with phytoene synthase and β‐carotene hydroxylase genes is an optimal combination for heterologous production of crocetin, crocins and picrocrocin in citrus callus. By profiling apocarotenoids and using in vitro assays, we show that GjCCD4a cleaved β‐carotene, in planta, and produced crocetin dialdehyde via C30 β‐apocarotenoid intermediate. GjCCD4a also cleaved C27 β‐apocarotenoids, providing a new route for C17‐dialdehyde biosynthesis. Callus lines overexpressing GjCCD4a contained higher number of plastoglobuli in chromoplast‐like plastids and increased contents in phytoene, C17:0 fatty acid (FA), and C18:1 cis‐9 and C22:0 FA esters. GjCCD4a showed a wider substrate specificity and higher efficiency in Nicotiana leaves, leading to the accumulation of up to 1.6 mg/g dry weight crocins. In summary, we established a system for investigating CCD enzymatic activity in planta and an efficient biotechnological platform for crocins production in green and non‐green crop tissues/organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most important complications of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines play an essential role in the development and progression of DN. Despite adopting appropriate therapies, many patients with DN progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, exploring innovative strategies for better management of DN is crucial. Crocin, a natural compound found in saffron, has profound antioxidant, antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of crocin in attenuation of the progression of DN. Methods: In this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 44 patients with T2DM and microalbuminuria were randomly assigned to receive either crocin (15 mg/day) or a placebo for 90 days. Eventually, 40 patients completed the study: 21 patients in the crocin group and 19 in the placebo group. The primary outcome was a change in urine Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (uACR) from baseline to the end of the treatment period. We also evaluated metabolic, anthropometric, and biochemical parameters as the secondary outcomes. Results: The results of the present study showed that uACR increased in both groups, but the increment was not significantly higher in the crocin group compared with the placebo. Serum levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) decreased in the crocin group and increased in the placebo group, but none of these changes was significant. Crocin significantly reduced triglyceride (TG) as an important metabolic parameter (P-Value = 0.03). Conclusion: This study has shown that crocin may be a safe and potential adjunct to conventional therapies for DN patients but because of our limitations such as short duration of the treatment period, and prescribing low doses of crocin, we could not achieve the significant level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of acute ingestion of saffron (SAF) on physiological (i.e., heart rate and blood lactate) and perceptual (i.e., ratings of perceived exertion [RPE] and feeling scale) measures in response to a repeated-sprint ability test (RSS) in healthy young males (N = 22; mean ± SD: age, 21.7 ± 1.24 yrs.). All participants completed two experimental trials with a one-week washout period using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design. In each session, the participants were randomly chosen to receive either a capsule of saffron (300 mg) (SAF session) or a capsule of lactose (PLB session) two hours before performing the RSS.No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found for heart rate, RPE, and feeling scale between the SAF or PLB sessions at pre- and post-RSS. There were no significant changes (p > 0.05) in peak time, total time, fatigue index, and blood lactate in either the SAF or PLB sessions. Acute SAF ingestion did not significantly improve RSS performance nor physiological and perceptual measures in active young males. Future trials should address the topic by using shortened/prolonged higher doses of SAF on biological, physical, physiological, and perceptual responses to acute and chronic exercise., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Social health is defined as the individual’s ability to effectively and efficiently play social roles without hurting other people. It is the examination of an individual’s activities and status in society. Saffron cultivation, given its special properties, such as teamwork, cooperation, and social correlation, plays a major role in social health. Thus, the current study was done to compare the social health components among the farmers in saffron villages and the others in South Khorasan Province. Methods: The current study was applied and comparative. The statistical population included the farmers in saffron villages and the others in South Khorasan Province in 2018. The sample consisted of 550 farmers (275 producing saffron and 275 producing other plants) based on the Cochran formula who were selected through multistage sampling. The tool used to collect the data was Keyes’s standard Social Well-being Questionnaire (2004), consisting of 28 questions. After collecting the questionnaires, the data were analyzed using SPSS v. 23 and an independent t-test at a significance level of P

Background: Assessing the progress of labor is a primary step in intrapartum care. This study was performed to assess comparison of the effects of date syrup with saffron-honey syrup on the progress of labor in nulliparous women. Materials and Methods: A randomized single-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 189 women who were referred to Bea'sat Hospital of Sanandaj from October 2019 to March 2020. Patients were randomly divided into three groups saffron-honey syrup, date syrup, and placebo syrup each including 63 cases. Each participant in the intervention and control groups received a maximum volume of 150 ml of saffron-honey syrup, date syrup, or placebo syrup. The syrups were given at the 4 cm dilation, and every 30-60 min until the end of the active phase of the first stage of labor. Data collection tools included a two-part questionnaire and a partograph form. The results were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 using Chi-squared test, analysis of variance, and last significant difference as a post hoc test, the significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The duration of the active phases of the first (F2 = 92.70, p < 0.01), second (F2 = 66.76, p < 0.01), and third (F2 = 12.34, p < 0.01) stages of labor was shorter in the date syrup and saffron-honey syrup groups than in the control group (p < 0.01). Additionally, both experimental groups exhibited no significant difference in terms of duration between the first (p = 0.312), second (p = 0.724), and third (p = 0.911) stages of labor. Conclusions: Date syrup and saffron-honey syrup can be used as one of the safe and available herbal methods to facilitate labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 39 full length MADS box genes were identified from C. sativus transcriptome database. • CstMADS19 encodes an Agamous gene and positively regulates apocarotenoid biosynthesis in Crocus by binding to promoters of pathway genes. • CstMADS19 physically interacts with CstMADS26 and both the genes co-regulate apocarotenoid biosynthesis. Flowers of Crocus sativus L. are immensely important not only for arrangement of floral whorls but more because each floral organ is dominated by a different class of specialized compounds. Dried stigmas of C. sativus flowers form commercial saffron, and are known to accumulate unique apocarotenoids like crocin, picrocrocin and safranal. Inspite of being a high value crop, the molecular mechanism regulating flower development in Crocus remains largely unknown. Moreover, it would be very interesting to explore any co-regulatory mechanism which controls floral architecture and secondary metabolic pathways which exist in specific floral organs. Here we report transcriptome wide identification of MADS box genes in Crocus. A total of 39 full length MADS box genes were identified among which three belonged to type I and 36 to type II class. Phylogeny classified them into 11 sub-clusters. Expression pattern revealed some stigma up-regulated genes among which CstMADS19 encoding an AGAMOUS gene showed high expression. Transient over-expression of CstMADS19 in stigmas of Crocus resulted in increased crocin by enhancing expression of pathway genes. Yeast one hybrid assay demonstrated that CstMADS19 binds to promoters of phytoene synthase and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2 genes. Yeast two hybrid and BiFC assays confirmed interaction of CstMADS19 with CstMADS26 which codes for a SEPALATA gene. Co-overexpression of CstMADS19 and CstMADS26 in Crocus stigmas enhanced crocin content more than was observed when genes were expressed individually. Collectively, these findings indicate that CstMADS19 functions as a positive regulator of stigma based apocarotenoid biosynthesis in Crocus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bulb flora of prefecture (nomos) Ilias in NW Peloponnese, Greece is documented with an emphasis on its distribution within the administrative unit. Families, genera and species are presented in alphabetical order. Each taxon is accompanied by a photograph, description, habitat, ecology and distribution dot map. This is the fifth contribution of the series and deals with the family Iridaceae comprising five genera — Crocus, Gladiolus, Iris, Moraea and Romulea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxin and drug-induced nephrotoxicity (DIN) account for about 25% of all acute kidney injury cases and are associated with morbidity and increased utilization of healthcare services. No approved preventive compound is available for DIN. Saffron (Crocus sativus) has important biological properties like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The protective effects of saffron and its main constituents in different tissues including the brain, heart, liver, kidney, and lung have been confirmed against some toxic materials or drugs in animal studies. This review covers all aspects of saffron’s preventive and therapeutic effects against toxins and DIN including proposed mechanism of action, dosing schedule, and effects on renal biomarkers and histological changes. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched by these search terms: “saffron” OR “Crocus sativus” OR “crocetin” OR “crocin “OR “safranal” AND “Drug induced nephrotoxicity” OR “Renal Injury” OR “Kidney Injury” OR “Nephrotoxicity”. All 25 relevant in vitro and in vivo studies up to the date of publication were included. Promising protective effects were reported particularly on aminoglycosides, cisplatin, and ethanol. Saffron and its constituents significantly prevented biochemical and histopathological changes, mediating via antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, and antiinflammatory effects. Despite success in animal models, no human study is available in this field and further well-designed clinical trials are necessary for better judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crocus of the family Iridaceae is a monophyletic genus with over 100 species. Due to the high degree of hybridization and the changes in the number of chromosomes known to have occurred in the genus Crocus, it is important to investigate the biogeography of the genus Crocus. Many studies revealed that ITS and chloroplast genes produce somewhat incongruent phylogenetic.trees with regard to Crocus species phylogeny, and therefore, it is better to use combined molecular data for contracting such a tree. Thus, we used both molecular and cytological sets to construct the phylogenetic tree. We conducted the present study to investigate potential use of some plastid genes as well as ITS sequences to illustrate the divergence of species. We also aimed to identify molecular events like horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and deep coalescence that may be associated with geographical distribution of Crocus taxa to present more illustratively the chromosome changes during Crocus taxa diversification. Reports on the genus Crocus that multiple polyploidization events as well as frequently-occurring diploid are major cytological events in Crocus taxa diversification. The present study showed close genetic affinity between three species of C. sativus, C. pallasii and C. cartwrightianus; and BEAST chronological tree showed that C. sativus diverged from these species in Turkey-Greece the region around 1–2 MY ago. In conclusion we may say that HGT, deep coalescence, gene duplication and deletion and perhaps barcode specification are among the molecular events which played role in the species diversification of the genus Crocus L. We could also present DNA barcodes for a few important Crocus distribution areas for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the role of the leading saffron endophyte Burkholderia gladioli strain E39CS3 (BG‐E39) in the inhibition of corm‐rot and induced systemic resistance (ISR) in the host against the saffron specific pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum. Methods and Results: We studied the interaction between BG‐E39 and the corm‐rot pathogen F. oxysporum in vitro and in vivo. BG‐E39 strongly inhibited both the F. oxysporum strains and other saffron‐specific and non‐specific pathogens used in this study. Confrontation and microscopic analyses revealed that the endophyte possessed fungicidal activity against the pathogens and effectively induced cell death in the mycelia. The endophyte produced chitinases as well as β‐1,3‐glucanase that may be involved in the pathogen cell wall degradation. BG‐E39 did not cause corm‐rot in Crocus sativus and the closely related plant, Gladiolus, thus establishing that it is non‐pathogenic to these plants. The endophyte reduced corm‐rot through antibiosis and enhanced the endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) levels and expression of JA‐regulated and other plant defence genes. Conclusions: The bacterial endophyte BG‐E39 provides resistance to the host plant against F. oxysporum corm‐rot in nature. Significance and Impact of the Study: The current study discovers the role of the saffron endophyte BG‐E39 in providing resistance to the host against corm‐rot. Therefore, this endophyte is a potential candidate for developing a microbial formulation for the biocontrol of the most common disease of C. sativus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is known to be the most prevalent form of joint disease. We conducted this clinical trial to investigate the effects of KrocinaTM, a natural product containing crocin, on the gene expression of unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets in patients with OA. We collected 40 peripheral blood samples of OA patients receiving Krocina™ and equal number of those who took a placebo (IRCT2015021910507N2, NCT03375814). RNA extraction was performed from the cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the OA patients who received Krocina™ and placebo and SYBR Green Real-time PCR technique was applied to assess the relative gene expression of T-bet, GATA3, ROR-γt, and FOXP3 as the unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets. The relative gene expression of T-bet and ROR-γt insignificantly decreased in the Krocina™ receiving group as compared to the placebo group. In addition, the relative gene expressions of GATA-3 and FOXP3 after the treatment with KrocinaTM showed a significant and insignificant increase, respectively. Moreover, an insignificant decrease was observed in the gene expression of GATA-3 and FOXP3 in the placebo group. A significant and insignificant decrease in the gene expression of T-bet and ROR- γt was detected in the OA patients who received a placebo. GATA-3 is known as a unique transcription factor for the differentiation of T-cells to the Th2 subset. The significant increase in the gene expression of GATA-3 in the patients with OA treated with crocin may suggest the beneficial effect of crocin on shifting towards the Th2 subset and enhancing an anti-inflammatory condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the size of crocus flowers as an element of ornamental quality, depending on the biometric parameters of the plants, against the background of different growing substrates. Two types of crocus were studied: "Queen of the Blues" crocus and "Yellow" crocus. The plants were evaluated in terms of height (Ph, cm) at the beginning of flowering (Ph B-Flo) and at the end of flowering (Ph E-Flo). The size of the flowers (Fs) was evaluated based on the diameter (Fs, cm). Three different substrates were used: sand (V1), mixture of sand and compost (V2) and soil (V3). The bulbs were planted at t1 - mid-October (a), t2 - early November (b), and t3 - mid-November (c). There were 9 experimental variants: V1a - sand at t1; V2a - sand and compost at t1; V3a - soil at t1; V1b-sand at t2; V2b - sand and compost at t2; V3b - soil at t2; V1c - sand at t3; V2c - sand and compost at t3; V3c - soil at t3. The size of the flowers (Fs) varied between 3.97 cm (V1c) and 5.07 cm (V2a) in "Queen of the Blue", respectively between 3.83 cm (V1c) and 4.07 cm (V2b) in "Yellow" crocus. 3D models and in the form of isoquants graphically represented the variation of Fs depending on the physiological parameters (Ph B-Flo and Ph E-Flo). The fs estimation safety was quantified by evaluating the degree of fit between the true values (RFs) and the predicted values (PFs). PC1 explained 79.234% of variance, and PC2 explained 19.046% of variance in the case of the "Queen of the Blues" crocus, and in the case of Yellow crocus, PC1 explained 88.851% of variance, and PC2 explained 8.8951% of variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aluminum (Al) exposure is among the environmental risk factors that may involve in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress has a critical role in the Al-induced toxicity. Saffron is a plant with potent radical scavenging and anti-oxidative properties. This investigation was designed to evaluate the possible protective effects of saffron extract (SE) on aluminum maltolate (Almal)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cell line. Methods: In this in vitro study, PC12 cells were divided into four groups including control, Almal (500 µM), Almal+SE (50 μg/ml), and Almal+SE (100 μg/ml). After 48 hours of treatment with Almal in the absence and presence of SE, cell viability and apoptosis were determined using MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and Annexin V flow cytometry, respectively. Catalase activity was determined as an index of oxidative stress. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA (SPSS version 16.0). PResults: Almal decreased the PC12 cells viability dose-dependently (IC50=500µM). Co-treatment of 50 and 100 μg/ml of SE with 500 µM of Al increased cell viability to 79% (P=0.04) and 86% (P=0.02) of the control group, respectively. Al also increased PC12 cells apoptosis and catalase activity to 37 and 2.7 folds of those of the control group (PConclusion: SE has protective effects against Al-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress and may possess therapeutic values in the treatment of Al-neurotoxicity.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is known to be the most prevalent form of joint disease. We conducted this clinical trial to investigate the effects of KrocinaTM, a natural product containing crocin, on the gene expression of unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets in patients with OA. We collected 40 peripheral blood samples of OA patients receiving Krocina™ and equal number of those who took a placebo (IRCT2015021910507N2, NCT03375814). RNA extraction was performed from the cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the OA patients who received Krocina™ and placebo and SYBR Green Real-time PCR technique was applied to assess the relative gene expression of T-bet, GATA3, ROR-γt, and FOXP3 as the unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets. The relative gene expression of T-bet and ROR-γt insignificantly decreased in the Krocina™ receiving group as compared to the placebo group. In addition, the relative gene expressions of GATA-3 and FOXP3 after the treatment with KrocinaTM showed a significant and insignificant increase, respectively. Moreover, an insignificant decrease was observed in the gene expression of GATA-3 and FOXP3 in the placebo group. A significant and insignificant decrease in the gene expression of T-bet and ROR- γt was detected in the OA patients who received a placebo. GATA-3 is known as a unique transcription factor for the differentiation of T-cells to the Th2 subset. The significant increase in the gene expression of GATA-3 in the patients with OA treated with crocin may suggest the beneficial effect of crocin on shifting towards the Th2 subset and enhancing an anti-inflammatory condition.

Background: Stress and saffron seem to affect glucoregulation mechanisms and insulin resistance in different ways. Impacts of the aqueous saffron extract were investigated on serum glucose levels, serum insulin levels, the homeostatic model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-B), the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), adrenal weight, and hepatic gene expression of angiotensinogen (Agt) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rats under sub-chronic stress. Materials and Methods: Forty-two male rats were divided into six groups: control, restraint stress (6h/day for seven days), saffron (30 and 60 mg/kg) treatments for seven days, and post-stress saffron (30 and 60 mg/kg) treatments for seven days. The serum glucose and insulin levels, hepatic gene expressions of Agt and TNF-α, HOMA-IR, HOMA-B, and adrenal gland weight were measured. Results: One-week recovery following sub-chronic stress led to non-significant hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and insulin resistance. The hepatic Agt and TNF-α mRNA levels increased significantly in this group. Saffron administration led to enhanced hepatic Agt mRNA in the non-stressed subjects. In addition, serum glucose levels, insulin resistance, and hepatic Agt gene expression significantly increased in stress-saffron groups. The hepatic TNF-α gene expression was reduced only in the stress-saffron 60 group. Conclusion: Saffron treatment after sub-chronic stress not only did not improve glucose tolerance but also enhanced insulin resistance. It indicated the interaction of saffron and sub-chronic stress to promote renin-angiotensin system activity. In addition, the saffron treatment decreased TNF-α gene expression after sub-chronic stress. The synergistic stimulating effect of saffron and sub-chronic stress on gene expression of hepatic Agt led to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia.

Intelligent packaging embedded with food freshness indicators can monitor food quality and be deployed for food safety and cutting food waste. The innovative nano-inks for dynamic shelf-life printing based on natural food colorant with application in real-time monitoring of shrimp freshness were prepared. Co-assembly of saffron petal anthocyanin (SPA) with hydrophobic curcumin (Cur) into chitin nano-scaffold (particle sizes around 26 ± 8 nm) could deliver hindering SPA leaching, confirmed by FT-IR, FE-SEM, AFM, and color stability test. The best response to pH-sensitivity was found in a ratio of (1:4) Cur/SPA (30% (v/w) in ChNFs that was correlated with the chemical and microbial changes of shrimp during shrimp freshness. However, smart screen-printed inks signified higher responsiveness to pH changes than FFI films. Therefore, smart-printed indicators introduced the excellent potential for a short response time, easy, cost-effective, eco-friendly, co-assembly, great color stabilities, and lifetime for nondestructively freshness monitoring foods and supplements., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing process is one of the main means by which consumers obtain information. As a communication channel between consumers in economically developing countries, WOM may contribute to the development of the organic food market. The primary objective of this study is to segment organic saffron consumers in Mashhad, Iran, and determine how they engage in WOM marketing. Data were collected through questionnaires from 13 districts of Mashhad using a stratified sampling method. In this study, 400 organic saffron consumers were grouped using a self-organizing map (SOM) neural network based on consumer neobehavioristic theory, and then, using decision trees, consumer behavior rules were extracted for participating in the WOM for each group. According to the results, less than fifty percent of consumers in each of the four market segments are willing to participate in WOM advertising for organic saffron. A lack of awareness of the characteristics of organic saffron is also found to be the main reason for consumers' reluctance to recommend organic saffron to others. Mass-media advertising is an effective way to raise consumer awareness and influence opinion leaders, ultimately resulting in WOM recommendations., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise (AT) and saffron supplementation on hemostasis, inflammatory markers, and insulin resistance in obese women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A total of 44 women with T2D (mean age: 54.12 ± 5.63 years, mean BMI: 31.15 ± 1.50 kg/m 2 , HbA1c: 85 ± 4.2 mmol/mol) were included in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 11 per group): saffron + training (ST), placebo + training (PT), saffron supplement (SS), and placebo (P). The ST and PT groups completed 12 weeks of AT (three sessions per week of mild to moderate intensity). The ST and SS groups were administered a daily dose of 200 mg of saffron powder for 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected 48 h before the first AT session and/or nutritional supplementation and 48 h after the last AT session and/or nutritional supplementation. Post-evaluation, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance value (HOMA-IR, p < 0.001) and serum levels of glucose (p < 0.001), fibrinogen (FIB, p < 0.001), homocysteine (HCY, p < 0.001), interleukin-6 (IL-6, p < 0.001), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα, p < 0.001) showed significant reduction in the ST, PT, and SS groups compared to the P group (p < 0.05). In particular, the ST group showed a more significant reduction in all variables compared to the PT and SS groups (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that a 12-week intervention with AT and saffron supplementation can independently improve markers related to hemostasis, inflammation, and insulin resistance. However, their combination showed the greatest effectiveness on the above markers., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Sport Science published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of European College of Sport Science.)