Effects of chronic crocin treatment on desoxycorticosterone acetate (doca)-salt hypertensive rats

In this study, the effects of chronic administration of crocin, an active constituent of saffron, on blood pressures of normotensive and desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) - salt induced hypertensive rats, were investigated. Five week administration of three doses of crocin (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day) and spironolactone (50 mg/kg/day) in different groups of normotensive and hypertensive rats (at the end of 4 weeks treatment by DOCA-salt) was carried out and their effects on mean systolic blood pressure (MSBP) and heart rate (HR) were evaluated using tail cuff method. The duration of effect of crocin on SBP, was also evaluated. Our results indicated that chronic administration of crocin could reduce the MSBP in DOCA salt treated rats in a dose dependent manner. Crocin did not decrease the MSBP in normotensive rats. The data also showed that antihypertensive effects of crocin did not persist. It is concluded that crocin possesses antihypertensive and normalizing effect on BP in chronic administration.