Ethnomedicinal Role of Crocus Sativus in Cadmium Instigated Toxicity

Competence of Crocus sativus L. on reduction of cadmium-induced toxicity in adult ratsCadmium is a toxic heavy metal element, which probably causes oxidative stress by impairment in organs' antioxidant machinery. The present study focused (i) studying the toxic effect of cadmium on the liver of rats, as well as (ii) the protective effect of Crocus sativus L. on cadmium-intoxicated rats. Cadmium chloride was administered orally for 28 days at intervals of 24 h between subsequent treatments. Crocus sativus L. was pre-treated in both control and cadmium-treated rats. Animals were sacrificed on day 29 after the last treatment. The blood and liver tissues were collected and immediately immersed in PBS solution for the evaluation of biochemical variables, and a small lobe of the liver was fixed in 10% formalin for histological evaluation. Following contamination with cadmium, a decrease was observed in the antioxidant system of the liver, which was increased by Crocus sativus L. pre-treatment (P < 0.05). In addition, cadmium increased serum hepatic markers and hepatic oxidative stress and morphological alterations, which were reversed by Crocus sativus pre-treatment (P < 0.05).