Vafaei Shayan, Wu Xuming, Tu Jiajie, Nematollahi-Mahani Seyed Noureddin
Department of Anatomical Science, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Ministry of Education, Hefei, China.
Front Pharmacol. 2022 Jan 19;12:830331. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.830331. eCollection 2021.
Crocin, the main biologically active carotenoid of saffron, generally is derived from the dried trifid stigma of L. Many studies have demonstrated that crocin has several therapeutic effects on biological systems through its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The wide range of crocin activities is believed to be because of its ability to anchor to many proteins, triggering some cellular pathways responsible for cell proliferation and differentiation. It also has therapeutic potentials in arthritis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and articular pain probably due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-apoptotic effects, as well as osteoclast inhibition effects of crocin, have suggested it as a natural substance to treat osteoporosis and degenerative disease of bone and cartilage. Different mechanisms underlying crocin effects on bone and cartilage repair have been investigated, but remain to be fully elucidated. The present review aims to undertake current knowledge on the effects of crocin on bone and cartilage degenerative diseases with an emphasis on its proliferative and differentiative properties in mesenchymal stem cells.
藏红花素是藏红花主要的生物活性类胡萝卜素，通常从番红花的干燥三叉柱头中提取。许多研究表明，藏红花素通过其抗氧化和抗炎特性，对生物系统具有多种治疗作用。藏红花素广泛的活性被认为是由于它能够与许多蛋白质结合，触发一些负责细胞增殖和分化的细胞途径。它在关节炎、骨关节炎、类风湿性关节炎和关节疼痛方面也可能因其抗炎特性而具有治疗潜力。藏红花素的抗凋亡作用以及对破骨细胞的抑制作用表明它是一种治疗骨质疏松症以及骨骼和软骨退行性疾病的天然物质。虽然已经对藏红花素影响骨骼和软骨修复的不同机制进行了研究，但仍有待充分阐明。本综述旨在介绍关于藏红花素对骨骼和软骨退行性疾病影响的现有知识，重点关注其在间充质干细胞中的增殖和分化特性。
