# Effect of Daily Intake of a Saffron Infusion on Blood Cholesterol Levels  
[PERSON]  
1 Catedra de Quimica Agricola, E.T.S.I. Agronomos y de Montes, Campus Universitario, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02071 Albacete, Spain; [PERSON]  
[PERSON]  
2 Department of Cardiology, University Alcala, Hospital Ramon y Cajal, 28034 Madrid, Spain; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
[PERSON]  
3 Department of Food Science, Regional Campus of International Excellence, Campus International de Excelencia Regional \"Campus Mare Noststrum\", CIBERobn, ISCIII, Universidad de Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (A.M.J.-M.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (M.M.-T.)  
4 Unidad de Investigacion, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
4 Correspondence: [PERSON]]; Tel. : +34-967-599210; Fax: +34-967-599238449634  
thrombogenic state associated with dyslipidaemia may contribute to the progression of MS [4], hence, a therapeutic proposal to decrease the immune response in MS is the use of statins--drugs that inhibit hepatic cholesterol synthesis [2; 5]. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers obesity, especially abdominal obesity, and physical inactivity to be cardiovascular risk factors. The goal set within the \"Global Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2013-2020\" is to decrease levels of total cholesterol (TC) below 190 mg/dL (50 mmol/L), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) below 115 mg/dL (3 mmol/L), body mass index (BMI) below 25 kg/m\({}^{2}\), and waist/hip ratio below 0.8 in women and 0.9 in men. Saffron (_Crocus sativus_ L.) is one of the most prized spices in the world due to its coloring, and savoring, and flavoring properties. Alongside its food value, it is traditionally used as a medicinal plant because of its bioactive properties, without undesirable secondary effects [6]. In the last decade, numerous scientific studies highlighted the effect of the biomedical and pharmacological properties of saffron and its metabolites on the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, endocrine, genital, immune, and nervous systems [7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16]. Although the mechanism of action has not been thoroughly studied, it is known that the bioactivity of saffron is based on the antioxidant character of its carotenoids, which reduces oxidative stress. The main components of saffron, which are glucoside esters of crocetin (crocins), picrococin, and safranal, contribute to reducing the incidence of atherosclerosis [17]. Crocin, the most common carotenoid of saffron and the substance responsible for the color of the spice [18], reduces oxidative stress [19; 20] and the levels of TC, triglycerides (TG), and plasma LDL-C [21]. Preclinical studies indicated that crocins and saffron extracts may reduce the levels of TC and TG, and improve the atherogenic index (LDL-C/HDL-C) [22]. Several animal studies showed the effect of extracts of saffron, crocetin, and crocins on the cardiovascular system. [PERSON] (1977) [23] exposed the effects of saffron and its metabolites on lipid assimilation in vitro and in vivo, suggesting an improvement in the lipid profile and avoidance of atherosclerosis [22]. However, there is not enough evidence to attribute this hypolipidemic effect to a particular saffron metabolite; previous publications have assigned this effect to crocetin, crocetin esters, safranal, and their synergistic actions. Many studies reported that crocetin increases the diffusion of oxygen, and thus oxygenation in various tissues. By increasing the oxygen in the blood plasma, crocetin compensates for the reduction of oxygenation caused by cholesterol and reduces cholesterol levels [24]. [PERSON] et al. (2005) [25] proved in animals that a group fed with a high-fat diet and crocetin showed a reduction in their TC levels compared to a control group, in addition to reducing their atheroma plaques, foam cells, and atherosclerosis.