Effects of saffron supplementation on serum inflammatory markers and quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis: A double blind randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is accompanied by an increase in inflammation and oxidative stress. Saffron supplementation could improve inflammation status due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of saffron tablets on serum concentration of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers and the quality of life in patients with UC. Methods: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was carried out on 80 patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis who were randomly assigned to saffron or placebo groups. Of all the patients 75 completed the study. The intervention group received 100 mg of saffron per day and placebo group received 100 mg of Maltodextrin per day. Results: Eight weeks of supplementation with saffron resulted in a significant decrease in serum levels of TNF-alpha (P = 0.003), hs-CRP (P = 0.001) levels, and a significant increase in IL-10 levels (P = 0.004) in the saffron group compared to the placebo group. No significant difference was observed in ESR (P = 0.379), IL-17 (P = 0.108), and the scores of inflammatory bowel disease questionnaire (IBDQ-9) (P = 0.136) between the intervention and placebo groups. However, there was a significant decrease in ESR (P = 0.002), IL-17 (P = 0.001) levels and a significant increase in the IBDQ-9 questionnaire score (P = 0.013) in the saffron group. Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that taking saffron for eight weeks along with medications can decrease the level of some inflammatory cytokines in UC patients.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates that taking saffron tablets for eight weeks can reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines in patients with ulcerative colitis.