Histopathological study of the liver and kidney in depressant rats treated with citalopram and aqueous extract of saffron

Depression is a serious psychological disorder, especially in chronic renal failure patients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the side effects aqueous extract of saffron on liver and kidney of male depressed rats and compared with citalopram. In this experimental study, 32 male adult rats (220±20 gr) were assigned randomly into four equal groups (n=8). Except for the control group, other groups were assigned into pure darkness for six weeks to induce depression and the forced swimming test (FST) was applied to prove the depression. The groups were including control healthy, depressed sham, saffron (160 mg/kg) and citalopram (10 mg/kg). Drugs were injected for 4 weeks once one a day. Healthy Control and depressed sham groups received saline (i.p.) daily during the treatment period. At the end of the treatment period animals anesthetized and the liver and kidney removed and fixed in 10% formalin. For histopathological studies, samples were stained with Eosin-hematoxylin. Administration of citalopram significantly decreases immobility in compared with sham group (p<0.05), symptoms necrosis tissue include glomerular hypertrophy network, lower urinary space, and renal tubular hypertrophy was seen in kidney tissue and amount of lipids in the liver cells was markedly higher than the control group. Although administration of aqueous extract of saffron improved depression but lesion of the tissues was not found. The result of this study showed an aqueous extract of saffron has more beneficial effects regarding in contrast to citalopram.

Keywords:

Depression , Saffron extract , Citalopram , Kidneys , Liver