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Researchers
strike gold -
5 February 2010
The golden herb saffron may hold the key to preventing the
loss of sight in the elderly, a world
first trial by researchers at
the University of Sydney and in Italy has found.
Professor Silvia Bisti, a visiting
scholar based at The VisionCentre at the University
of Sydney, described the results as a breakthrough, with trial participants
showing significant vision improvements after taking a saffron pill for three
months.
"Measurements using objective eye
sight tests showed patient's vision improved after taking the saffron pill.
When they were tested with traditional eye charts, a number of patients could
read one or two lines smaller than before, while others reported they could
read newspapers and books again."
The trial, conducted at Italy's Policlinico Gemelli by Professor
Benedetto Falsini, was double blind and randomly controlled, involving 25
subjects over six months. Half the group were given a saffron pill for the first three months followed by
a placebo, while the other half were given the pills in the reverse order.
"All patients experienced
improvements in their vision while taking the saffron pill," Professor
Bisti said. "But when they stopped taking the pill the effect quickly
disappeared."
Professor Bisti began studying the
effects of saffron at L'Aquila, in Italy's mountainous Abruzzi country, because
it was a widely‐grown local crop which has been used in traditional
medicine as a treatment for conditions such as cancerous tumours and
depression.
"The chemistry of saffron is quite
complex", she says. "It is well‐known as
an anti‐oxidant, but no‐one had explored its effects on eyesight before."
Professor Bisti says "saffron
appears to affect genes which regulate the fatty acid content of the cell
membrane, and this makes the vision cells tougher and more resilient".
Professor Bisti singled out
"saffron's 'anti-apoptotic' properties - its ability to increase the
availability of oxygen to the body and prevent cell death," as a key
factor in its beneficial effects.
In collaboration with the Catholic University of Rome and the University of L'Aquila
Professor Bisti is now conducting a twelve month trial, with the aim of finding
out more information about optimal doses, and at what point patients might
experience a peak effect.
Another potentially fruitful line of
research will be investigating saffron's ability to treat genetic diseases of
the eye, such as retinitis pigmentosa, which can cause life‐long blindness in young people.
Professor Bisti's work builds on many
years of collaboration with Professor Jonathan Stone at the University of
Sydney's The Vision Lab. The lab's extensive trials using animal models, which
found that a saffron diet will protect the eye from the damaging effects of
bright light, formed much of the basis for Professor Bisti's research with
humans.
"After decades of lab research it is wonderful to
now be able to help people," Professor Stone said.
Note:
Professor Bisti's laboratory at L'Aquila University was severely damaged in last year's earthquake in Italy and her experiments disrupted. The Vision Centre has supported two of her research staff to continue their work at the University of Sydney.
To interview Professor Bisti or Professor Stone contact Kath Kenny, University of Sydney Media Office (02) 9351 2261(02) 9351 2261 or 0434 606 1000434 606 100, k.kenny@sydney.edu.au
Note:
Professor Bisti's laboratory at L'Aquila University was severely damaged in last year's earthquake in Italy and her experiments disrupted. The Vision Centre has supported two of her research staff to continue their work at the University of Sydney.
To interview Professor Bisti or Professor Stone contact Kath Kenny, University of Sydney Media Office (02) 9351 2261(02) 9351 2261 or 0434 606 1000434 606 100, k.kenny@sydney.edu.au
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