Effects of crocin on experimental obesity and type-2 diabetes

The aim of this study is to scrutinize the effects of crocin on obesity and type-2 diabetes, with an approach that takes oxidative stress and inflammatory parameters into account.

The experimental obesity model was created by utilizing a 10-week-long high-fat diet (HFD). An experimental type-2 diabetes model was created by injecting multiple low-dose streptozocin (STZ) injections into rats that were fed with the HFD. The treatment groups were administered a daily crocin dose of 150 mg/kg for 6 weeks via gavage.

Findings of the study demonstrated that crocin could be effective in relieving the symptoms of obesity and diabetes (hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, insulin resistance, and weight gain). It was determined that crocin lowered the plasma TNF-α and IL-1β levels and the pancreas tissue TNF-α and IFN-γ levels, which were increased due to diabetes, and reduced the inflammation in diabetic rats. Similarly, it was found that oxidative stress, which increased due to the progress of diabetes, was reduced in crocin treatment group.

Crocin could contribute to the development of phytotherapeutic approaches in the treatment of obesity, diabetes, and diabesity (obesity-induced diabetes), which is promising as the abovementioned incidences have increased considerably in today's world.