AI Article Synopsis
- Crocin, a carotenoid from saffron, shows potential in protecting heart cells from oxidative stress and reducing free radical formation, although its mechanisms were not well understood before.
- The study investigated crocin's effects on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mice under induced oxidative stress, revealing that crocin administration offers cellular protection and reduces inflammation.
- Findings suggest that crocin acts by scavenging free radicals and influencing gene expression through specific molecular signaling pathways, highlighting its dual role in heart cell protection and anti-inflammatory action.
Article Abstract
It was previously reported that crocin, a water-soluble carotenoid isolated from the L. (saffron), has protective effects on cardiac cells and may neutralize and even prevent the formation of excess number of free radicals; however, functional mechanisms of crocin activity have been poorly understood. In the present research, we aimed to study the functional mechanism of crocin in the heart exposed to oxidative stress. Accordingly, oxidative stress was modeled in vitro on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in vivo in mice using cellular stressors. The beneficial effects of crocin were investigated at cellular and molecular levels in HUVECs and mice hearts. Results indicated that oral administration of crocin could have protective effects on HUVECs. In addition, it protects cardiac cells and significantly inhibits inflammation via modulating molecular signaling pathways TLR4/PTEN/AKT/mTOR/NF-κB and microRNA (miR-21). Here we show that crocin not only acts as a direct free radical scavenger but also modifies the gene expression profiles of HUVECs and protects mice hearts with anti-inflammatory action under oxidative stress.
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| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11280316 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16070840 | DOI Listing |
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