Protective effect of crocetin from Crocus sativus L. on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

Abstract This study investigated the protective effect of crocetin from Crocus sativus L. on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in rats. Sixty SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, model, and low-, medium- and high-dose crocetin groups. Later 3 groups were intragastrically administrated with 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg crocetin from Crocus sativus L., respectively, for 1 week. On the 8th day, the MIRI model was established in the later 4 groups. The blood biochemical indexes, hemodynamic indexes, myocardial infarct size, myocardial antioxidant indexes and myocardial expressions of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), serine/threonine kinase (Akt) and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) protein were determined. Results showed that, compared with model group, in high-dose crocetin group the left ventricular systolic pressure, +dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax, myocardial superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels, and myocardial Bcl-2/Bax ratio and p-Akt/Akt ratio were significantly increased, and the left ventricular end diastolic pressure, myocardial infarct size, serum lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase-MB, cardiac troponin I, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and malondialdehyde levels were significantly decreased (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, crocetin from Crocus sativus L. has protective effects on MIRI in rats.