The effect of aqueous Crocus sativus L. (saffron) extract on learning and memory in male streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Diabetes mellitus is accompanied with disturbances in learning, memory, and cognitive skills in the human society and experimental animals. Considering the potential anti-diabetic effect of the medicinal plant Crocus sativus (Saffron) and the augmenting effect of its consumption on the memory and mental health, this study was conducted to evaluate the effect of chronic interaperitoneal administration of Crocus.S extract on learning and memory in diabetic rats.

In this experimental study a total of 60 male rats were divided into normal and diabetic groups. Then, each of these groups was divided into three subgroups. Two of these subgroups received 30 and 60 mg/kg crocus.s extract in the treatment periods, but the third group didn’t receive any treatment. At the end of treatment period, each of these subgroups was evaluated by two ways: Y-maze (alternative behavior percentage) and shuttle box (initial latencies (IL) and step-through latencies (STL)) in passive avoidance test. Finally, obtained data were subjected to one way ANOVA test and post hoc Tokey analysis.

Treatment of the diabetic animals with the extract could antagonized the augmenting effect of diabetics on initial latency (P< 0.05). Also, treatment of the diabetic rats with the extract (60 mg/kg) increased the reduced step through latency time (recall of the data) induced by diabetic in the animals (P< 0.05). However, obtained data from Y maze test show that the extract could not improved the spatial memory disruption due to diabetics.

Chronic Crocus.S injection is effective on the capability of maintaining information in the stores memory and reminding in the diabetic rats. However, the extract could not improve the spatial memory in the diabetic rats.