Joukar Siyavash, Dehesh Mohammad-Moein
Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Basic and Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Auton Autacoid Pharmacol. 2015 Dec;35(4):46-50. doi: 10.1111/aap.12040.
Dry stigmas of the Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) are well known in world as a popular flavouring and therapeutic agent. The anxiolytic, antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antiarrhythmic effects of saffron suggest that it may affect the autonomic control of the heart. This study assessed its safety on cardiac sympathovagal balance and heart rate variability in rat. Experimental groups were control, Saf50, Saf100, Saf200 (received saffron at dosages of 50 and 100 and 200 mg/kg/d, orally, respectively) and Amio (received 30 mg/mL/kg/d of amiodarone, orally, for 7 days) groups. On day 8, the frequency domain and time domain indices of animals' electrocardiograms were calculated. The heart rate decreased and RR interval increased in Saf200 and Amio groups (P<.05 vs other groups). Square root of the mean squared differences of successive RR intervals enhanced in all treated groups, however, was only significant in Amio group (P<.05). The SD1/SD2 ratio was higher in Saf200 and Amio groups. Both low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) parameters were higher, and the LF/HF ratio was non-significantly lower in treated groups. The findings suggest that saffron not only has no harmful effect on activity of cardiac autonomic nervous system, but it may improve the stability of heart sympathovagal balance in normal rat.
藏红花（番红花）的干燥柱头作为一种广受欢迎的调味剂和治疗剂而闻名于世。藏红花的抗焦虑、抗抑郁、抗惊厥和抗心律失常作用表明它可能会影响心脏的自主控制。本研究评估了其对大鼠心脏交感迷走神经平衡和心率变异性的安全性。实验组分为对照组、Saf50组、Saf100组、Saf200组（分别以50、100和200mg/kg/d的剂量口服藏红花）和胺碘酮组（口服30mg/mL/kg/d的胺碘酮，持续7天）。在第8天，计算动物心电图的频域和时域指标。Saf200组和胺碘酮组的心率下降，RR间期增加（与其他组相比，P<0.05）。所有治疗组连续RR间期均方根差值的平方根均增加，但仅在胺碘酮组有统计学意义（P<0.05）。Saf200组和胺碘酮组的SD1/SD2比值较高。治疗组的低频（LF）和高频（HF）参数均较高，LF/HF比值无显著降低。研究结果表明，藏红花不仅对心脏自主神经系统的活动没有有害影响，而且可能改善正常大鼠心脏交感迷走神经平衡的稳定性。
