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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Ethnopharmacology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1436295
This article is part of the Research Topic Natural Products for the Treatment of Respiratory Disorders View all articles

Saffron (Crocus sativus) and its Constituents in Ovalbumin-induced Asthma model: A Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Provisionally accepted
Hassan Ghobadi Hassan Ghobadi 1Farzin Aslani Farzin Aslani 2Mohammad Hossein Boskabady Mohammad Hossein Boskabady 3Saeideh Saadat Saeideh Saadat 4Mohammad Reza Aslani Mohammad Reza Aslani 1*
  • 1 Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
  • 2 Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Tehran, Iran
  • 3 Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Razavi Khorasan, Iran
  • 4 Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Animal and human studies have demonstrated that the saffron and the active components of saffron, including crocin, crocetin, and safranal, possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. In this meta-analysis, the preclinical evidence and potential mechanism of saffron were explored in an animal model of ovalbumin-induced asthma.Methods: Studies related to saffron and its constituents in an animal model of ovalbumin-induced asthma from the beginning to March 2024 were searched from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated using the 15-item CAMARADES checklist. Data analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software version 2.Results: Thirteen studies with 536 animals (268 animals in the intervention group and 268 animals in the ovalbumin-induced group) were analyzed. The meta-analysis findings demonstrated that saffron and its constituents played a significant role in reducing total WBC, eosinophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts. Moreover, saffron showed a significant decrease in the levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IgE, histamine, endothelin, nitric oxide, and nitrite. Moreover, saffron was found to elevate EC50 thresholds and lower maximum response rates in experimental animals.The analysis revealed a significant identification of modulation in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers and miRNAs pathways.Saffron and its components may impact ovalbumin-induced asthma model in animals through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory pathways, as well as improving pulmonary function and modulating ER stress markers and miRNAs pathways. As a result, saffron should be considered for further clinical trials in individuals suffering from asthma.

    Keywords: Asthma, saffron, Crocin, Safranal, Crocus sativus, Ovalbumin, Meta-analysis

    Received: 22 May 2024; Accepted: 01 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ghobadi, Aslani, Boskabady, Saadat and Aslani. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Mohammad Reza Aslani, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.