Crocus Sativus Tepals Water Extract in Obesity and Prediabetes
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract, cold water.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Prediabetes, Obesity & Overweight. Basic parameters: 40 years — 65 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Slovenia
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →
Official title
Acute Effects of Water Extract of Crocus Sativus Tepals on Metabolic Health Parameters in Patients With Obesity and Prediabetes
Overview
The goal of this clinical trial is to determine the acute effects of ingestion of a cold aqueous extract of Crocus sativus tepals on postprandial glycemia and other indicators of metabolic health in patients with obesity and/or prediabetes. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the ingestion of Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract prior to a meal improve the glycemic response to a standard meal? * How does the ingestion of Crocus sativus tepals aqueous extract prior to a meal impact insulin levels and other markers of metabolic health? * Does the ingestion of Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract prior to a meal increase the resting energy expanditure? Researchers will compare Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract to cold water. The participants will visit the Faculty twice - on one visit they will ingest Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract and on the other cold water (in random order) 5 minutes prior to a standard meal of 100 g of white bread. On each visit, anthropometric measurements will be performed upon arrival. Blood samples will be collected 3 times, preceeded by resting metabolic rate and blood pressure measurements: at baseline in fasted conditions, and 60 minutes and 120 minutes after consuming the bread. There will be an at least 7 days wash-out period between the two visits.
Interventions
- Biological Crocus sativus tepals cold aqueous extract
2 g of Crocus sativus tepals will be infused in 200 mL of water overnight at 4 °C, resulting cold aqueous extract corresponds to 40 mg GAE of polyphenols - Biological cold water
200 mL of cold water, kept overnight at 4 °C
Primary outcome measures
- glucose levels [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of second measurement at 2 weeks]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- insulin level [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of second measurement at 2 weeks.]
- Resting metabolism [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the second measurement, at 2 weeks]
- Blood pressure [Time frame: baseline, 60 minutes after bread ingestion, 120 minutes after bread ingestion]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Obesity type I (ITM > 30 kg/m2) and/or
- Prediabetes (fasting glucose levels 6,1 - 6,9 mmol/L)
Exclusion criteria
- Gastrointestinal diseases
- Diabetes mellitus of any type
- Pregnant or lactating, without contraception
- Serious clinical conditions such as cancer, severe infections, severe psychiatric disorders, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases
- Participation in another clinical trial 3 months prior to the study
- ITM greater than 35 kg/m2
- Celiac disease of gluten intolerance
- electronic implant
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Slovenia · 1 center
- University pf Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences — Izola
Publications
- Barik SK, Sengupta S, Arya R, Kumar S, Kim JJ, Chaurasia R. Dietary Polyphenols as Potential Therapeutic Agents in Type 2 Diabetes Management: Advances and Opportunities. Adv Nutr. 2025 Jan;16(1):100346. doi: 10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100346. Epub 2024 Nov 19. PMID 39566886
- Omidi A, Riahinia N, Montazer Torbati MB, Behdani MA. Hepatoprotective effect of Crocus sativus (saffron) petals extract against acetaminophen toxicity in male Wistar rats. Avicenna J Phytomed. 2014 Sep;4(5):330-6. PMID 25386395
- Moratalla-Lopez N, Bagur MJ, Lorenzo C, Salinas MEMR, Alonso GL. Bioactivity and Bioavailability of the Major Metabolites of Crocus sativus L. Flower. Molecules. 2019 Aug 2;24(15):2827. doi: 10.3390/molecules24152827. PMID 31382514
- Montoro P, Maldini M, Luciani L, Tuberoso CI, Congiu F, Pizza C. Radical scavenging activity and LC-MS metabolic profiling of petals, stamens, and flowers of Crocus sativus L. J Food Sci. 2012 Aug;77(8):C893-900. doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2012.02803.x. Epub 2012 Jul 18. PMID 22809329
- Menghini L, Leporini L, Vecchiotti G, Locatelli M, Carradori S, Ferrante C, Zengin G, Recinella L, Chiavaroli A, Leone S, Brunetti L, Orlando G. Crocus sativus L. stigmas and byproducts: Qualitative fingerprint, antioxidant potentials and enzyme inhibitory activities. Food Res Int. 2018 Jul;109:91-98. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.04.028. Epub 2018 Apr 16. PMID 29803496
- Bursac B, Bellachioma L, Gligorovska L, Jovanovic M, Teofilovic A, Vrataric M, Vojnovic Milutinovic D, Albacete A, Martinez-Melgarejo PA, Morresi C, Damiani E, Bacchetti T, Djordjevic A. Crocus sativus tepals extract suppresses subcutaneous adipose tissue hypertrophy and improves systemic insulin sensitivity in mice on high-fat diet. Biofactors. 2024 Jul-Aug;50(4):828-844. doi: 10.1002/biof.2043. PMID 38318672
- Bellachioma L, Morresi C, Albacete A, Martinez-Melgarejo PA, Ferretti G, Giorgini G, Galeazzi R, Damiani E, Bacchetti T. Insights on the Hypoglycemic Potential of Crocus sativus Tepal Polyphenols: An In Vitro and In Silico Study. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 May 24;24(11):9213. doi: 10.3390/ijms24119213. PMID 37298165
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07261475 · ZAFRAN-2025