PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Stress-related symptoms are a global concern, impacting millions of individuals, yet effective and safe treatments remain scarce. Although multiple studies have highlighted the stress- alleviating properties of saffron extract, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study employs the unpredictable chronic mild stress (CMS) animal model to investigate the impact of a standardized saffron extract, Affron® (AFN), on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis regulation and neuroplasticity in Wistar rats following repeated oral administration. The research evaluates AFN\'s effects on various stress-related parameters, including hypothalamic gene expression, stress hormone levels, and the sucrose preference test. In animals subjected to continuous unpredictable CMS, repetitive administration of AFN at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg effectively normalized HPA axis dysregulation and enhanced neuroplasticity. Increased concentrations of AFN demonstrated greater efficacy. Following AFN oral administration, adrenocorticotropic and corticosterone hormone levels exhibited significant or nearly significant reductions in comparison to subjects exposed to stress only. These changes align with the alleviation of stress and the normalization of the HPA axis. These findings elucidate AFN\'s role in stress mitigation, affirm its health benefits, validate its potential as a treatment for stress-related symptoms, confirm its physiological effectiveness, and emphasize its therapeutic promise.
摘要：
与压力相关的症状是全球关注的问题，影响了数百万人，然而，有效和安全的治疗仍然很少。尽管多项研究强调了藏红花提取物的缓解应激特性，潜在机制尚不清楚.本研究采用不可预测的慢性轻度应激（CMS）动物模型来研究标准化藏红花提取物的影响，Affron®(AFN)，反复口服后对Wistar大鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴调节和神经可塑性的影响。这项研究评估了AFN对各种压力相关参数的影响，包括下丘脑基因表达，应激激素水平，和蔗糖偏好测试。在经历连续不可预测的CMS的动物中，以100mg/kg和200mg/kg的剂量重复施用AFN可有效地使HPA轴失调正常化并增强神经可塑性。AFN浓度的增加显示出更大的功效。AFN口服后，与仅暴露于压力的受试者相比，促肾上腺皮质激素和皮质酮激素水平显着或几乎显着降低。这些变化与压力的减轻和HPA轴的正常化一致。这些发现阐明了AFN在缓解压力方面的作用，肯定其健康益处，验证其作为治疗压力相关症状的潜力，确认其生理有效性，并强调其治疗前景。
