Crocetin administration ameliorates endotoxin-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation in rabbits

Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis. 2013 Apr;24(3):305-10. doi: 10.1097/MBC.0b013e32835bdc8f.

Abstract

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a life-threatening secondary complication in several diseases, is characterized by large amounts of thrombin that lead to fibrin deposition and microthrombus formation throughout the microcirculation. Recent in-vitro studies suggest that crocin, crocetin or safranal, carotenoid constituents of the spice Crocus sativus L. (saffron), have antithrombotic properties, especially anti-Xa activity. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of crocetin on thrombosis procedure using a rabbit model of bacterial endotoxin-induced DIC. Crocetin administration (3 mg/kg), 30 min before the beginning of endotoxin infusion, improved DIC-related haemostatic indices such as platelet blood counts (P≤ 0.05), blood plasma fibrinogen and protein C concentration (P≤ 0.05). In addition, it ameliorated DIC-associated disease and fibrin deposition in the glomeruli (P≤ 0.05). These results indicate that crocetin reveals a preventive antithrombotic role in vivo and prescribe further investigation on the possibility of developing crocetin-based DIC treatment modalities.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Blood Platelets / drug effects*
  • Carotenoids / pharmacology*
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / blood
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / chemically induced
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / drug therapy*
  • Endotoxins
  • Fibrinogen / metabolism
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Platelet Count
  • Protein C / metabolism
  • Rabbits
  • Thrombin / metabolism
  • Vitamin A / analogs & derivatives

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Endotoxins
  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Protein C
  • trans-sodium crocetinate
  • Vitamin A
  • Carotenoids
  • Fibrinogen
  • Thrombin