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. 2023 Feb 1;10:1071514. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1071514

TABLE 2.

Characteristics of included studies investigating the effects of saffron supplementation on serum concentrations of oxidative stress biomarkers.

References Country Condition Duration (weeks) Group n Dose Age, years, mean ± SD Outcomes (change of mean ± SD)
Abedimanesh et al. (44) Iran Coronary artery disease 8 Saffron 22 30 mg/once daily 54.83 ± 5.99 Ox-LDL: −2.54 ± 3.30
Placebo 20 56.00 ± 5.67 Ox-LDL: −0.24 ± 4.79
Azimi et al. (45) Iran Type 2 diabetes mellitus 8 Saffron 42 1,000 mg/once daily 57.02 ± 1.0 F2-isoprostan: −0.62 ± 4.00
Placebo 39 53.64 ± 1.3 F2-isoprostan: −0.23 ± 7.15
Behrouz et al. (49) Iran Type 2 diabetes mellitus 12 Crocin 22 15 mg/twice daily 57.08 ± 7.41 MDA: 1.48 ± 4.98
Placebo 22 59.86 ± 9.46 MDA: 1.86 ± 4.45
Dastkhosh et al. (48) Iran Type 2 diabetes mellitus 12 Crocin 22 15 mg/twice daily 57.08 ± 7.41 TOS: −0.82 ± 1.43
TAC: 0.24 ± 0.39
Placebo 22 59.86 ± 9.46 TOS: 0.55 ± 1.09
TAC: −0.05 ± 0.40
Ebrahimi et al. (46) Iran Type 2 diabetes mellitus 12 Saffron 40 100 mg/twice daily 55.2 ± 7.3 MDA: −1.10 ± 3.41
TAC: −0.06 ± 0.65
Placebo 40 53 ± 10.6 MDA: 0.1 ± 2.7
TAC: −0.01 ± 0.6
Ghaderi et al. (57) Iran Methadone maintenance treatment 8 Crocin 26 15 mg/twice daily 44.5 ± 9.4 MDA: −0.4 ± 1
TAC: 52.30 ± 97.14
GSH: 73.2 ± 119
Total nitrite: 0.3 ± 5.05
Placebo 27 45.6 ± 9.9 MDA: 0.1 ± 1.25
TAC: −14.6 ± 141.75
GSH: 21.4 ± 293.38
Total nitrite: 1.4 ± 5.12
Ghiasian et al. (50) Iran Multiple sclerosis 4 Crocin 20 15 mg/twice daily 29 ± 4.99 MDA: −46.32 ± 16.75
TAC: 24.42 ± 40.68
TTG: 20.83 ± 15.27
Placebo 20 31.47 ± 5.31 MDA: −17.94 ± 25.73
TAC: 9.44 ± 42.69
TTG: 4.37 ± 16.88
Ghobadi et al. (17) Iran COPD 12 Crocin 23 30 mg/once daily 62.04 ± 8.83 TOS: −0.14 ± 1.01
TAC: 0.27 ± 0.51
Placebo 23 61.72 ± 8.54 TOS: 0.30 ± 1.81
TAC: −0.05 ± 0.61
Hamidi et al. (55) Iran Rheumatoid arthritis 12 Saffron 33 100 mg/once daily 51.55 ± 8.26 MDA: −0.54 ± 9.37
TAC: 0.23 ± 0.94
Placebo 32 51.80 ± 9.62 MDA: 2.57 ± 7.71
TAC: 0.04 ± 1.10
Karimi-Nazari et al. (20) Iran Prediabetes obese individuals 8 Saffron 26 15 mg/once daily 57.95 ± 8.12 DPPH: 2.40 ± 2.02
Placebo 30 57.90 ± 8.70 DPPH: −0.85 ± 2.11
Kavianipour et al. (52) Iran Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 12 Saffron 38 100 mg/once daily 43.42 ± 10.62 MDA: −1.9 ± 3.51
TAC: 0.43 ± 0.70
Placebo 38 42.05 ± 8.27 MDA: −1.09 ± 2.71
TAC: 0.08 ± 0.60
Kermani et al. (54) Iran Metabolic syndrome 12 Saffron 26 50 mg/twice daily 42.19 ± 11.52 PAB: −13.36 ± 26.71
Placebo 30 43.60 ± 9.05 PAB: −4.19 ± 28.71
Rasi Marzabadi et al. (56) Iran Alzheimer disease 12 Saffron 27 15 mg/twice daily 76.70 ± 6.10 TAC: 0.18 ± 0.43
MD: −0.15 ± 0.44
GPx: 12.01 ± 14.97
SOD: 124.4 ± 207.84
Placebo 27 75.33 ± 5.06 TAC: 0.11 ± 0.53
MD: −0.11 ± 0.37
GPx: 8.99 ± 16.71
SOD: 142.52 ± 207.11
Nikbakht-Jam et al. (53) Iran Metabolic syndrome 8 Crocin 29 15 mg/twice daily 38.97 ± 13.33 PAB: −16.12 ± 48.75
Placebo 29 43.46 ± 12.77 PAB: −0.88 ± 36.53
Shahbazian et al. (47) Iran Type 2 diabetes mellitus 12 Saffron 32 15 mg/twice daily 53.5 ± 9.9 MDA: −8.94 ± 66.42
TAC: 0.11 ± 0.43
H-Cys: −0.12 ± 5.48
Placebo 32 52.4 ± 13 MDA: −4.37 ± 63.78
TAC: 0.1 ± 0.51
H-Cys: −4.11 ± 6.14
Tahvilian et al. (51) Iran Ulcerative colitis 8 Saffron 40 100 mg/once daily 40.55 ± 12.71 MDA: −4.07 ± 12.03
TAC: 0.11 0.88
SOD: 5.61 ± 9.68
GPx: 7.61 ± 15.23
Placebo 35 40.97 ± 11.34 MDA: −0.11 ± 11.82
TAC: −0.1 ± 0.90
SOD: 0.65 ± 6.52
GPx: −1.63 ± 10.40

DPPH, 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GSH, total glutathione; H-cys, homocysteine; MDA, malondialdehyde; Ox-LDL, oxidized LDL; PAB, proxidant/antioxidant balance; SD, standard deviation; SOD, superoxide dismutase; TAC, total antioxidant capacity; TTG, total thiol group.