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Clinical and metabolic responses to crocin in patients under methadone maintenance treatment: A randomized clinical trial
Author(s) -
Ghaderi Amir,
RasouliAzad Morad,
Vahed Neda,
Banafshe Hamid Reza,
Soleimani Anvar,
Omidi Abdollah,
Ghoreishi Fatemeh Sadat,
Asemi Zatollah
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
phytotherapy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.019
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1573
pISSN - 0951-418X
DOI - 10.1002/ptr.6445
Subject(s) - methadone , medicine , crocin , methadone maintenance , randomized controlled trial , clinical trial , pharmacognosy , traditional medicine , pharmacology , biology , biological activity , biochemistry , in vitro
Patients under methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs are susceptible to several complications including metabolic and clinical disorders. This study was designed to determine the effect of crocin supplementation on mental health parameters and metabolic profiles in subjects under MMT. The current randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, clinical trial was conducted among 53 patients under MMT to receive either 15 mg/day of crocin ( n = 26) or placebo ( n = 27) twice a day for 8 weeks. Crocin administration significantly decreased Beck Depression Inventory score ( P = 0.01) and Beck Anxiety Inventory score ( P = 0.008) compared with the placebo. In addition, crocin administration resulted in a significant reduction in fasting glucose ( P = 0.003), insulin levels ( P = 0.01), insulin resistance ( P = 0.008), triglycerides ( P = 0.001), very low‐density lipoprotein ( P = 0.001), total cholesterol levels ( P = 0.03), and a significant increase in insulin sensitivity (.003) compared with the placebo. Additionally, crocin intake was associated with a significant reduction in high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein ( p < .001) and malondialdehyde ( P = 0.001) and a significant rise in total antioxidant capacity levels ( P = 0.01) compared with the placebo. The findings of this clinical trial indicate that taking crocin for 8 weeks by patients under MMT had beneficial effects on their mental health and improved their metabolic profiles.