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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2014

Open Access 01-12-2014 | Research article

The ocular hypotensive effect of saffron extract in primary open angle glaucoma: a pilot study

Authors: Mohammad Hossein Jabbarpoor Bonyadi, Shahin Yazdani, Saeed Saadat

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2014

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Abstract

Background

The progressive nature of glaucoma and its growing incidence make its therapy an important target for research. The role of oxidative damage in the pathogenesis of glaucoma makes antioxidants such as saffron extract an attractive target for potential clinical use. Herein, we evaluate the effect of aqueous saffron extract on intraocular pressure (IOP) in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Methods

Thirty-four eyes of 34 clinically stable POAG patients receiving treatment with timolol and dorzolamide eye drops were enrolled in this prospective, comparative, randomized interventional pilot study. Eligible subjects were randomized to receive 30 mg/day aqueous saffron extract orally (17 subjects, 17 eyes) or placebo (17 subjects, 17 eyes) for one month as an adjunct to timolol and dorzolamide. Following treatment, both study groups entered a one-month wash-out period. The main outcome measure was IOP during treatment and after the wash-out period.

Results

Mean baseline IOP was 12.9 ± 3.7 versus 14.0 ± 2.5 mmHg in the saffron and control groups, respectively (p = 0.31). After three weeks of treatment, IOP was significantly decreased to 10.9 ± 3.3 mmHg in the saffron group as compared to 13.5 ± 2.3 mmHg in the control group (p = 0.013). At four weeks, IOP was still significantly lower in the saffron group (10.6 ± 3.0 versus 13.8 ± 2.2 mmHg, p = 0.001). At the end of the wash-out period, IOP was 12.9 ± 3.0 in the saffron group versus 14.2 ± 2.0 mmHg in the control group (p = 0.175). None of the patients experienced side effects during the study and wash-out period.

Conclusions

Oral aqueous saffron extract seems to exert an ocular hypotensive effect in primary open-angle glaucoma. This effect became evident after three weeks of therapy.
The current study was registered at the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) as IRCT201201278832​N1.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
The ocular hypotensive effect of saffron extract in primary open angle glaucoma: a pilot study
Authors
Mohammad Hossein Jabbarpoor Bonyadi
Shahin Yazdani
Saeed Saadat
Publication date
01-12-2014
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2014
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-399

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