The effect of crocetin (a saffron carotenoid) supplementation on antioxidant and inflammatory indexes and serum leptin concentration in patients with coronary artery disease†‡

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a common heart disease characterized by plaque buildup in the coronary arteries. Saffron, which is rich in active compounds, has strong antioxidant properties that help reduce free radicals and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of crocetin supplementation on antioxidant and inflammatory markers, as well as serum leptin levels, in CAD patients. Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted in Ahvaz, Iran, 50 clinically diagnosed CAD patients, including men and women aged 40–65, were randomly assigned to two parallel groups to receive either one tablet of 10 mg crocetin (n = 25) or one placebo (n = 25) daily for eight weeks. The primary outcome was high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels, and the secondary outcomes included the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), leptin levels, anthropometric measurements, and body composition. Both groups followed similar dietary and exercise regimens. Results: We found no significant differences between the intervention and placebo groups regarding C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, as indicated by ANCOVA (P = 0.695). Similarly, ANCOVA results for leptin (P = 0.854), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P = 0.520), malondialdehyde (MDA) (P = 0.178), and the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) (P = 0.409) also did not show significant differences. However, a significant result was observed for catalase (CAT) (P = 0.008). The comparison of mean differences within the intervention and placebo groups showed clinical improvements for several measurements. Importantly, hs-CRP levels were −119.62 in the intervention group compared to −156.91 in the placebo group. Other mean differences included SOD (41.72 vs. −7.33), MDA (−0.99 vs. −0.16), AIP (−0.13 vs. 0.04), leptin (−1.86 vs. −0.09), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (−0.25 vs. 0.13), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (−0.24 vs. −0.01). Conclusions: Crocetin supplementation significantly improved inflammation, oxidative stress status, and leptin levels in CAD patients. Although further studies are needed to confirm these results in a larger population, crocetin administration may be recommended to prevent CAD.