Laboratory of Agri-Food, Biotechnology, and Valorization of Plant Resources, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants Unit, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Avenue Prince Moulay Abdellah, BP 2390, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco.
Agrobiotechnology and Bioengineering Center, CNRST-Labeled Research Unit (AgroBiotech-URL-CNRST-05 Center), Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco.
Molecules. 2022 May 23;27(10):3339. doi: 10.3390/molecules27103339.
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. In addition to its culinary utilization, this spice is used for medicinal purposes such as in pain management. In this study, the analgesic activity of stigma extract (CSSE) was evaluated in rodents and its possible physiological mechanism was elucidated. The anti-nociceptive effect of CSSE was evaluated using three animal models (hot plate, writhing, and formalin tests). The analgesic pathways involved were assessed using various analgesia-mediating receptors antagonists. The oral administration of CSSE, up to 2000 mg/kg, caused no death or changes in the behavior or in the hematological and biochemical blood parameters of treated animals nor in the histological architecture of the animals' livers and kidneys. CSSE showed a central, dose-dependent, anti-nociceptive effect in response to thermal stimuli; and a peripheral analgesic effect in the test of contortions induced by acetic acid. The dual (central and peripheral) analgesic effect was confirmed by the formalin test. The anti-nociceptive activity of CSSE was totally or partially reversed by the co-administration of receptor antagonists, naloxone, atropine, haloperidol, yohimbine, and glibenclamide. CSSE influenced signal processing, by the modulation of the opioidergic, adrenergic, and muscarinic systems at the peripheral and central levels; and by regulation of the dopaminergic system and control of the opening of the ATP-sensitive K channels at the spinal level. The obtained data point to a multimodal mechanism of action for CSSE: An anti-inflammatory effect and a modulation, through different physiological pathways, of the electrical signal generated by the nociceptors. Further clinical trials are required to endorse the potential utilization of Moroccan saffron as a natural painkiller.
藏红花是世界上最昂贵的香料。除了在烹饪中的应用外，这种香料还被用于医学用途，如在疼痛管理中。在这项研究中，评价了柱头提取物（CSSE）在啮齿动物中的镇痛活性，并阐明了其可能的生理机制。使用三种动物模型（热板、扭体和福尔马林试验）评估 CSSE 的抗伤害作用。使用各种镇痛介导的受体拮抗剂评估涉及的镇痛途径。CSSE 的口服给药高达 2000mg/kg，不会导致死亡或改变治疗动物的行为或血液学和血液生化参数，也不会改变动物肝脏和肾脏的组织学结构。CSSE 对热刺激表现出中枢、剂量依赖性的镇痛作用；并对乙酸引起的扭体试验表现出外周镇痛作用。福尔马林试验证实了双重（中枢和外周）镇痛作用。CSSE 的镇痛活性被受体拮抗剂纳洛酮、阿托品、氟哌啶醇、育亨宾和格列本脲的共同给药完全或部分逆转。CSSE 通过调节外周和中枢的阿片能、肾上腺素能和毒蕈碱能系统，以及调节多巴胺能系统和控制脊髓中 ATP 敏感性 K 通道的开放，影响信号处理。获得的数据表明 CSSE 的作用机制是多模式的：抗炎作用和通过不同的生理途径调节伤害感受器产生的电信号。需要进一步的临床试验来支持摩洛哥藏红花作为天然止痛药的潜在应用。
