Clinical and metabolic responses to crocin in patients under methadone maintenance treatment: A randomized clinical trial. (29th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ghaderi, Amir; Rasouli‐Azad, Morad; Vahed, Neda; Banafshe, Hamid Reza; Soleimani, Anvar; Omidi, Abdollah; Ghoreishi, Fatemeh Sadat; Asemi, Zatollah
• Is Part Of: Phytotherapy research. Volume 33:Number 10(2019)
• Page Start: 2714
• Page End: 2725
• Publication Date: 2019-07-29
• Subjects: crocin -- mental health -- metabolic profiles -- methadone maintenance treatment; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; Botany, Medical -- Periodicals; Medicinal plants -- Periodicals; Plant Extracts -- therapeutic use -- Periodicals; Plants, Medicinal -- Periodicals; 581.634
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.6445
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0951-418X

Abstract

Abstract : Patients under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs are susceptible to several complications including metabolic and clinical disorders. This study was designed to determine the effect of crocin supplementation on mental health parameters and metabolic profiles in subjects under MMT. The current randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, clinical trial was conducted among 53 patients under MMT to receive either 15 mg/day of crocin ( n = 26) or placebo ( n = 27) twice a day for 8 weeks. Crocin administration significantly decreased Beck Depression Inventory score ( P = 0.01) and Beck Anxiety Inventory score ( P = 0.008) compared with the placebo. In addition, crocin administration resulted in a significant reduction in fasting glucose ( P = 0.003), insulin levels ( P = 0.01), insulin resistance ( P = 0.008), triglycerides ( P = 0.001), very low‐density lipoprotein ( P = 0.001), total cholesterol levels ( P = 0.03), and a significant increase in insulin sensitivity (.003) compared with the placebo. Additionally, crocin intake was associated with a significant reduction in high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein ( p < .001) and malondialdehyde ( P = 0.001) and a significant rise in total antioxidant capacity levels ( P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. The findings of this clinical trial indicate that taking crocin for 8 weeks by patients under MMT had beneficial effects on their mental health and improved their metabolic profiles.