Pharmacological effects of Crocus Sativus (Saffron) on Memory and Anxiety
Location
Culp Center Ballroom
Start Date
4-25-2023 9:00 AM
End Date
4-25-2023 11:00 AM
Poster Number
62
Faculty Sponsor’s Department
Pharmaceutical Sciences
Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor
Lori McGrew
Competition Type
Competitive
Type
Poster Presentation
Project's Category
Stress Response
Abstract or Artist's Statement
The Crocus Sativus flower gives rise to the Saffron spice which contains five active ingredients known as crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal. The rich antioxidant containing components of Saffron have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier by passive transcellular diffusion, making them effective in relation to treating neurological disorders. In order to test the effects of Saffron on memory and anxiety, Zebrafish Danio Rerio were placed into two groups and put through a series of assessments including a three compartment memory tank and a dive tank. Zebrafish continue to be at the forefront of behavioral and pharmacological studies due to their ability to display real time effects of substances in the environment. Many strong similarities have been drawn between zebrafish’s neuroanatomy and physiology in comparison to mammals, making them a reliable tool in assessing environmental toxicity. Zebrafish have shown to be a great asset in drug screenings and preclinical trials due to their sensitivity to pharmacological stimulants and fast phenotypic responses. Saffron was administered to a test group via skin absorption, while the control group was transported directly from their habitat to the assessment tanks. The three compartment memory tank consisted of a middle, right, and left chamber separated by movable dividers. Subjects were initially placed in the center compartment and given a choice of swimming either towards the right or left sections. The two sides of the tank contained visual cues which included photos of shapes taped to the wall. The choice of swimming towards the correct compartment was rewarded by the subject being reunited with their tank mates; while making the incorrect decision led to adverse stimuli such as reduction of swim area. Subject memory was tested by their ability to promptly swim towards the intended side during each trial. It was hypothesized that subjects in the test group will learn to swim in the correct compartment significantly faster than the control group. The anxiety evaluation was conducted by individually placing subjects from the control and test groups into a dive tank. The dive tank utilizes vertical distribution in a novel environment to measure the behavioral response in Zebrafish. Once placed in the tank, the subjects will combat their inherent nature of seeking protection in an open environment. During each trial, subject movements, behavior, and activity were tracked and analyzed by the Nolds Ethovision software. It was hypothesized that Saffron dosed Zebrafish will show a reduction in anxiety by increasing their vertical swimming and exploration significantly faster than those in the control groups.
Pharmacological effects of Crocus Sativus (Saffron) on Memory and Anxiety
Culp Center Ballroom
The Crocus Sativus flower gives rise to the Saffron spice which contains five active ingredients known as crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal. The rich antioxidant containing components of Saffron have been shown to cross the blood brain barrier by passive transcellular diffusion, making them effective in relation to treating neurological disorders. In order to test the effects of Saffron on memory and anxiety, Zebrafish Danio Rerio were placed into two groups and put through a series of assessments including a three compartment memory tank and a dive tank. Zebrafish continue to be at the forefront of behavioral and pharmacological studies due to their ability to display real time effects of substances in the environment. Many strong similarities have been drawn between zebrafish’s neuroanatomy and physiology in comparison to mammals, making them a reliable tool in assessing environmental toxicity. Zebrafish have shown to be a great asset in drug screenings and preclinical trials due to their sensitivity to pharmacological stimulants and fast phenotypic responses. Saffron was administered to a test group via skin absorption, while the control group was transported directly from their habitat to the assessment tanks. The three compartment memory tank consisted of a middle, right, and left chamber separated by movable dividers. Subjects were initially placed in the center compartment and given a choice of swimming either towards the right or left sections. The two sides of the tank contained visual cues which included photos of shapes taped to the wall. The choice of swimming towards the correct compartment was rewarded by the subject being reunited with their tank mates; while making the incorrect decision led to adverse stimuli such as reduction of swim area. Subject memory was tested by their ability to promptly swim towards the intended side during each trial. It was hypothesized that subjects in the test group will learn to swim in the correct compartment significantly faster than the control group. The anxiety evaluation was conducted by individually placing subjects from the control and test groups into a dive tank. The dive tank utilizes vertical distribution in a novel environment to measure the behavioral response in Zebrafish. Once placed in the tank, the subjects will combat their inherent nature of seeking protection in an open environment. During each trial, subject movements, behavior, and activity were tracked and analyzed by the Nolds Ethovision software. It was hypothesized that Saffron dosed Zebrafish will show a reduction in anxiety by increasing their vertical swimming and exploration significantly faster than those in the control groups.