TABLE 3.

Brief summary of studies on crocin and OP.

Reference	Models/Crocin doses	Main results	Conclusion
Algandaby, (2019)	Rats/5–10 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks orally	Protected from histological changes in bone, increased serum alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin, decreased tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase and collagen cross-linking carboxyterminal telopeptide and TNF-α and IL-6 oxidative stress	Crocin may be effective against MetS-induced osteoporosis
Cao et al. (2014)	Rats/5–20 mg/kg daily for 12 weeks	Reduction in skeletal remodeling and oxidative stress factors, increase in BMD and trabecular microarchitecture	Administration of crocin for 14 weeks can prevent OP in rats
Nie et al. (2019)	MC3T3-E1 cell line/100 µM (1,000 mg/ml)	Upregulated expression levels of Bcl-2 and Cyt C, and downregulated caspase-9, caspase-3, Bcl-2-associated X protein, and cytoplasmic Cyt C, and increased levels of ROS and intracellular Ca2+	Crocin may have a therapeutic effect on dexamethasone-induced apoptosis of osteoblasts via inhibition of the ROS/Ca2+-mediated mitochondrial pathway in-vitro