Saffron - stigma extract alleviates brain and liver injury in γ-irradiated aged albino rats

This study aimed to investigate the potential efficacy of saffron stigma extract in alleviating the detrimental effects of γ-irradiation on the brain and liver in aged rats.

Twenty-four aged animals were divided into three groups: a control group, an irradiated group (6 Gy), and an irradiated group receiving saffron stigma extract (75 mg/kg body weight) three times per week for four weeks.

Exposure of aged rats to the γ-radiation led to high fragmentation in the brain and liver tissue as the intact DNA, significant increases in malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), heat shock protein (HSP-70), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-9), caspase-3, and marked decreases in superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). In addition, the γ-irradiation led to a significant decrease in dopamine and serotonin in the brain tissues, as well as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the liver tissue. Furthermore, in contrast to the control rats, it led to a significant elevation in gamma glutamyl transferase (γGT) activity. Nonetheless, saffron stigma extract decreased intact DNA fragmentation relative to that observed in the irradiated subjects and significantly improved the biochemical markers in both brain and liver tissues.

Whole-body γ-irradiation excites oxidative stress and inflammation and also provokes alterations in the antioxidant status and liver enzyme and neurotransmitter levels. Saffron significantly enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the brains and livers of old rats and mitigates the degree of biochemical abnormalities in these organs. These findings support the potential of saffron as a radiomitigative agent for reducing normal tissue damage following radiation exposure.