PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - E. Assadpour AU - M.H. Boskabady AU - M.R. Aslani TI - Relaxant effect of <em>crocus sativus</em> (saffron) on guinea pig tracheal chains and its possible mechanism(s) DP - 2011 Sep 01 TA - European Respiratory Journal PG - p757 VI - 38 IP - Suppl 55 4099 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p757.short 4100 - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/38/Suppl_55/p757.full SO - Eur Respir J2011 Sep 01; 38 AB - The relaxant effects of 4 cumulative concentrations of aqueous-ethanolic extract and safranal were examined by their relaxant effects on precontracted tracheal chains of guinea pig by 10 μM methacholine (group 1) and 60 mM KCl in two different conditions including: non-incubated tissues (group 2) and incubated tissues with 1 μM propranolol 1 μM chlorpheniramine and 1 μM atropine (group 3), (n=6). In groups 1 and 2 all concentrations of theophilline, extract and safranal showed significant relaxant effects compared to that of saline (p&lt;0.05 to p&lt;0.001). However, in group 3 the extracts of Crocus sativus showed a weak relaxant effect (p&lt;0.05 only for highest concentration). The effects of last concentrations of safranal in group 1, and its all concentrations in group 2 were significantly lower than those those of theophylline (p&lt;0.05 to p&lt;0.001). In addition to the effects of two last concentration of safranal in both groups 1 and 2 were significantly lower than that of Crocus sativus extract. These results showed a potent relaxant effect of Crocus sativus on tracheal chains of guinea pigs. The results also indicated the safranal is atleast, in part, responsible for the relaxant effect of Crocus sativus.