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Oral Administration of Crocin Reverses Memory Loss Induced by Ethanol and Nicotine Abstinence in Adolescent Male Rats Publisher Pubmed



Kakhki S1 ; Abbaszadecheragheali A2 ; Tafti SP3 ; Shirinzadeh Feizabadi A4 ; Ahmadisoleimani SM5, 6 ; Beheshti F5, 6
Authors
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Authors Affiliations
  1. 1. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Paramedical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
  2. 2. Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
  3. 3. Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
  4. 4. Department of Medical Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
  5. 5. Departments of Physiology, School of Medicine, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran
  6. 6. Neuroscience Research Center, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran

Source: Neuroscience Letters Published:2025


Abstract

Purpose: Regarding a wide variety of researches conducted with various therapeutic effect of crocin, the main constituent of saffron, the current study aims to assess the efficacy of crocin to improve learning and memory impairment caused by withdrawal following concurrent usage of ethanol (Eth) and nicotine (Nic) in adolescent male rats. Methods: In order to test memory fucntion, Morris water maze and passive avoidance methods were applied in male Wistar rats undergone adolescent Nic-Eth withdrawal and the effect of crocin treatment was assessed at both behavioral and biochemical levels. The biochemical parameters included the inflammatory cytokines, indicators of oxidative stress and cholinergic metabolism within the hippocampla tissues. Animals were divided into 7 experimental groups as follows: 1) control (saline + saline), 2) nicotine + ethanol, 3–5) nicotine + ethanol + crocin (three doses), 6) nicotine + ethanol + bupropion + naloxone and 7) saline + crocin. Results: Results indicated that crocin treatment effectively prevented the Nic-Eth withdrawal induced behavioral manifestations of memory impairment when assessed by Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. In addition, the biochemical alterations (in inflammatory, oxidative and cholinergic parameters) induced by Nic-Eth withdrawal were also ameliorated in rats treated by crocin. Interestingly, the mentioned ameliorative effect of crocin was found to be dose-dependent in most experiments and almost equipotential to that of bupropion and naloxone co-administration, when administered at high doses. Conclusion: We would like to suggest the crocin treatment as an alternative medication for the management of Nic − Eth withdrawal, however, further studies are required to assess the unknown side effects and high dose tolerability of the drug in human subjects. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
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