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Introduction: The present study investigated the hepatoprotective effects of stigmas, tepals and leaves of Crocus sativus on carbon tetrachloride (CCL4) induced liver injury in rats. Methods: Hydroethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus (stigmas, tepals and leaves) were administrated daily for 14 days by oral gavage. In the present study, 30 male rats divided into five groups were treated as 1: normal rats gavaged with distilled water; 2: intoxicated rats gavaged with distilled water and injected with CCL4; 3: rats treated with stigmas extract and injected with CCL4; 4: rats treated with tepal extract and injected with CCL4; 5: rats treated with leaf extract and injected with CCL4. Bodyweight and the relative liver weight were determined. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total cholesterol, triglycerides, bilirubin direct and total, total protein, albumin, urea and creatinine measured in plasma. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was quantified in liver homogenate. Results: The experimental data showed that the stigmas and tepals extracts significantly prevented weight body loss and improved the relative liver weight. They significantly protected against elevation of ALT, AST, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, LDH, ALP, creatinine and MDA. Also, they enhanced significantly total proteins and albumin compared to the CCL4 control group. Moreover, leaves reduced ALT, AST, total bilirubin, LDH and MDA significantly. Conclusion: In conclusion, these results suggest that tepals, stigmas, and leaves extracts of Crocus sativus have hepatoprotective effects on CCL4 induced liver injury in rats.

Zingiber officinale and Citrus limon, well known as ginger and lemon, are two vegetals widely used in traditional medicine and the culinary field. The juices of the two vegetals were evaluated based on their inflammation, both in vivo and in vitro. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to characterize different juices from Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Citrus limon. After the application of the HPLC method, different compounds were identified, such as 6-gingerol and 6-gingediol from the ginger juice and isorhamnetin and hesperidin from the lemon juice. In addition, the two juices and their formulation were assessed for their anti-inflammatory activity, in vitro by utilizing the BSA denaturation test, in vivo using the carrageenan-induced inflammation test, and the vascular permeability test. Important and statistically significant anti-inflammatory activities were observed for all juices, especially the formulation. The results of our work showed clearly that the Zingiber officinale and Citrus limon juices protect in vivo the development of the rat paw edema, especially the formulation F composed of the Zingiber officinale and Citrus limon juices, which shows an anti-inflammatory activity equal to −35.95% and −44.05% using 10 and 20 mg/kg of the dose, respectively. Our work also showed that the formulation was the most effective tested extract since it inhibits the vascular permeability by −37% and −44% at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively, and in vitro via the inhibition of the denaturation of BSA by giving a synergetic effect with the highest IC50 equal to 684.61 ± 7.62 μg/mL corresponding to the formulation F. This work aims to develop nutraceutical preparations in the future and furnishes the support for a new investigation into the activities of the various compounds found in Zingiber officinale Roscoe and Citrus limon.

The valorization of Crocus sativus L. by-products has become important given its interesting content of bioactive molecules. In the present study, aqueous tepal extract (ATE) studied eggplant seedling’s growth and physiology under a plastic tunnel. ATE was foliage sprayed 3 times every 15 days, with various concentrations (1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, 3 mg/mL) in addition to a treatment containing 2 mg/mL of tepals and 0.6 mg/mL of stigmas (T+S). The concentration of 2 mg/L ATE significantly ( p ≤ 0.05 ) increased the plant’s height, the chlorophyll content, and decreased antioxidant activity and MDA (malondialdehyde). However, the concentration 3 mg/mL inhibited the plant growth; increased the content of ascorbic acid and polyphenol; and resulted in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activities increases, indicating oxidative stress ( p ≤ 0.05 ). On the other hand, T+S significantly influenced some parameters analyzed. Our findings demonstrate that ATE can act as a biostimulant at 2 mg/mL to enhance eggplant growth in plastic tunnel production and used in plant stress situations.

The most costly spice in the world, Crocus sativus L. (C. sativus), has been used for more than 3,000 years. It has various beneficial applications in a range of fields, including aromas, colorants, and medications, but its usefulness as a food flavoring and coloring ingredient is the highest. Large quantities of by-products from the processing of saffron are typically thrown as unwanted bio-residues. This study’s goal was to assess and compare the nephroprotective effects of hydroethanolic extracts of C. sativus stigmas, tepals, and leaves on gentamicin (GM)-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. For that, we used a biochemical and histological investigation to propose new pharmaceutical valorizations. Based on the biochemical and histological analyses, it is concluded that all the studied parts of C sativus showed a renoprotective effect. Markedly, tepals revealed the most significant reduction of relative liver weight p < 0.05 , water intake p < 0.05 , plasma creatinine p < 0.01 , plasma urea p < 0.01 , plasma uric acid p < 0.05 , urinary protein p < 0.01 and albumin p < 0.001 , and renal malondialdehyde (MDA) p < 0.001 . In addition, C. sativus tepals caused a significant increase in body weight p < 0.05 , urinary creatinine p < 0.01 , creatinine clearance p < 0.05 , and urinary urea p < 0.05 compared with the gentamicin untreated (GM) group. This is confirmed by the histopathological study which shows that treatment with stigmas, tepals, and leaves preserved kidney morphology at the glomerular and tubular cell level. The studied extracts exhibit good recovery potential for nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin. In order to create potent dietary supplements or phytomedicines, it would also be very interesting to confirm these actions through clinical research.