crocin and Depressive-Disorder

In recent years phytotherapy has been explored as a source for alternative treatments for mood disorders. One potential candidate is saffron (Crocus sativus L.), whose main bioactive components are crocins and safranal.. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of affron. Analysis indicated a significant decrease in negative mood and symptoms related to stress and anxiety at a 28mg/day dose (with a significant difference between 28mg/day and placebo on the POMS Total Mood Disturbance scale, p<0.001, d=-1.10), but no treatment effect at the 22mg/day dose.. The main weaknesses of this investigation were found in the self-reporting nature of both the screening and the testing.. affron

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Affect; Aged; Anxiety; Carotenoids; Crocus; Cyclohexenes; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Double-Blind Method; Female; Flowers; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Self Report; Stress, Psychological; Terpenes; Young Adult

Depression is one of the foremost psychological illness which is closely leagued with inflammation. Crocin is a natural product that exhibits both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities. However, little is known about anti-inflammatory mechanisms of crocin on LPS-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. The objective of this study is emphasized on neuroprotective role of crocin against LPS-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in mice. It is observed that crocin inhibited LPS-induced production of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and ROS in BV-2 microglial cells. Moreover, crocin significantly declined the expression of iNOS, NF-κB p65 and CD16/32 (M1 marker), as well as elevated the expression of CD206 (M2 marker) in BV-2 cell line with decreased LPS-induced anxiety and depressive-like behaviors by improved locomotor activity, reduced sucrose intake, and decreased immobility time in forced swim and tail suspension test in Kunming mice. Expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 by i.p administration of LPS found to be neutralized with reduction in level of IL-1β, IL-18 and TNF-α in mouse hippocampus. In conclusion, these results suggested that crocin as a potential therapeutic candidate for neuro-inflammation and depressive-like behaviors induced by LPS. The effect was found to be due to inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome and NF-κB and its promoted M1 to M2 phenotypic conversion of microglia.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Outbred Strains; Anxiety Disorders; Carotenoids; Cell Line; Depressive Disorder; Inflammasomes; Inflammation; Lipopolysaccharides; Mice; Microglia; Neuroprotective Agents; NF-kappa B; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein; Psychotropic Drugs; Signal Transduction