Saffron (Crocus sativus) decoction induces intra abdominal fat deposition in pregnant mice

Objectives: In this study the effects of non toxic [1] concentrations of saffron decoction on fat deposition in pregnant mice was assessed. Methods: 130 adult female mice were mated overnight and checked daily for vaginal plaque until yielding 65 pregnant mice. The vaginal plaque observation was considered as the1^st day of pregnancy. The reminder mated females were considered as non pregnant. Each category of pregnant and non pregnant animals was randomly and equally divided into 13 groups. In each category animals in control group received tap water while the animals in test groups received different concentration of saffron decoction (0.2, 0.4 and 0.8%) in 4 different time course during 3 weeks of gestational period (1st, 2nd, 3rd week and complete duration of pregnancy) ad libitum. 18 days after the onset of the experiments animals were sacrificed by deep anesthesia and striping fats deposited in the abdominal cavity from diaphragm to the genitalia were precisely removed and weighted. Result: there was no significant difference between the fat deposition in pregnant and non pregnant animals but the intra abdominal fat deposition in all test groups was significantly reduced in both pregnant and non pregnant animals as compared with their own control group (p<0.05).The effect of saffron on intra abdominal fat deposition was dose and time dependant and maximum effect was seen in animals receiving 0.8% saffron decoction throughout the gestational period. Conclusion: according to our data, saffron is a potent attenuator of fat deposition probably due to its action on food intake and its antioxidative effect [1,2].

References: [1] Abdullaev, F.I., Espinosa-Aguirre, J.J. (2004) Cancer Detect. Prev. 28:426–432.

[2] Abdullaev, F.I. (1993) Biofactors 4:83–86.

[3] Rios, J.L. et al. (1996) Phytother. Res. 10:189–193.