Effect of Safranal, a Constituent of Crocus Sativus L., on Global Cerebral Ischemia Induced Oxidative Damage in Rat Hippocampus

ntroduction: Increased oxidative stress has been implicated in the mechanisms of delayed neuronal cell death (DND) following cerebral ischemic insult. In this study we investigated whether safranal, an active constituent of Crocus sativus plant, may ameliorate ischemia-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. Male NMRI rats were divided in six groups, namely, sham control, ischemia and ischemia treated with safranal (four groups). Transient global cerebral ischemia was induced by four-vessel-occlusion method for 20 min. Safranal was injected intraperitoneally (727.5mg/kg, 363.75mg/kg, 145.5mg/kg, and 72.75mg/kg body weight) 5 min. prior to reperfusion and administration was continued for 72h after ischemia. Markers of oxidative stress including thiobarbituric acid reactive materials (TBARs) and antioxidant capacity of hippocampus (using FRAP assay) were measured in hippocampus. Transient global cerebral ischemia significantly increased TBARs (P