Effects of diosmin and crocin on metabolic syndrome-associated cardio-vascular complications in rats.

This study aims to scrutinize the potential protective effect of diosmin and crocin against cardio-vascular complications attributed to metabolic syndrome (MS). For 16 weeks, the rats were given 10% fructose in water and 3% salt in diet to induce MS over a 16-week period. At week 7 and for 10 weeks, diosmin (50 mg/kg, PO) or crocin (50 mg/kg, PO) was administered daily. Non-invasive blood pressure (BP) was recorded in conscious animals. Thoracic aorta (macro vessels) and kidney (micro vessels) concentration-response curves for phenylephrine (PE) and acetylcholine (ACh) were analyzed. Electrocardiogram (ECG) parameters were recorded. Blood glucose level, serum insulin level, troponin T, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), malondialdehyde (MDA), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured. In addition, histological examination of aorta and heart tissues was performed. Diosmin and crocin alleviated cardio-vascular complications associated with MS. This is manifested in improvement of systolic and diastolic BP and ECG parameters. They ameliorated MS-induced exaggerated contractility to PE and improved the impaired dilatation to Ach in macro and micro vasculature. Diosmin and crocin reduced the elevated serum levels of insulin, AGEs, TNF-α, and MDA and reversed MS-induced structural changes of aorta and cardiac tissues. Diosmin and crocin offset the cardiac changes and vascular impairment associated with MS via attenuation of oxidative stress and suppression of inflammation.