Abstract: Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of saffron against DOX-induced arrhythmias and provide data for clinical application of saffron against DOX cardiotoxicity. Methods An arrhythmia model was induced with adriamycin. The experimental rats were randomly divided into the control (CONT), model (DOX), positive drug (BFT), and saffron (T-SE) groups. The therapeutic effects of saffron against DOX-induced arrhythmia in rats were investigated in terms of general performance (status and body weight), biological indicators of cardiac injury (CK-MB, BNP, NT-ProBNP and cTni), cardiac functional indicators (cardiac ultrasound and ECG), and cardiac pathological indicators. Results One week after treatment with saffron in DOX arrhythmia model rats, ECG showed that the QTC interval was shortened, ST segment period was reduced, and Q wave amplitude was reduced in the T-SE group rats compared with the DOX group. Echocardiography suggested that left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular fraction shortening (LVFS), and LV mass were significantly increased (P < 0.05), so were left ventricular anterior wall thickness at end-systole (LVAW;s), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole (LVPW;d), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-systole (LVPW;s), interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole (IVS;d), and interventricular septal thickness end diastole (IVS;s) (P < 0.05), but left ventricular end-systolic dimension (LVEDD) and left ventricular end-systole volume (LVESV) were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the T-SE group compared with the DOX group. Cardiac damage biomarkers showed that creatine kinase MB(CK-MB), troponin I (cTnI), brain natriuretic peptide(BNP), and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were significantly lower in the T-SE group than in the DOX group (P < 0.001). Conclusion Saffron is effective in alleviating DOX-induced arrhythmias.

Key words: saffron, doxorubicin, rat, arrhythmia, cardiotoxicity