Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration
Objective To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of oral saffron, a natural antioxidant, in treating mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods and analysis Open-label, extension trial of 93 adults (>50 years) with mild/moderate AMD and vision >20/70 Snellen equi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2024-07-01
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| Series: | BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| Online Access: | https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001399.full |
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| author | Peter J McCluskey Thomas Hong Andrew A Chang John Grigg Geoffrey K Broadhead Timothy E Schlub Eugenia Chu |
| author_facet | Peter J McCluskey Thomas Hong Andrew A Chang John Grigg Geoffrey K Broadhead Timothy E Schlub Eugenia Chu |
| author_sort | Peter J McCluskey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of oral saffron, a natural antioxidant, in treating mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods and analysis Open-label, extension trial of 93 adults (>50 years) with mild/moderate AMD and vision >20/70 Snellen equivalent in at least 1 eye. Exclusion criteria included confounding visual lesions or significant gastrointestinal disease impairing absorption.Participants were given oral saffron supplementation (20 mg/day) for 12 months. Those already consuming Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS) supplements or equivalent maintained these.Primary outcomes included changes in multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) response density and latency, and changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Secondary outcomes included safety outcomes, changes in mfERG and BCVA among participants on AREDS supplements and changes in microperimetry.Results At 12 months, mean mfERG response density was significantly higher in rings 1, 2 and overall (p<0.001 for all) but not in rings 3–6, and there was no difference in response between those taking AREDS supplements and those not (p>0.05). Mean mfERG latency was not significantly different in any of rings 1–6 or overall (p>0.05 for all), again with no difference between those taking AREDS supplements or not (p>0.05). Mean BCVA was 1.6 letters worse (p<0.05) with no difference between those on AREDS supplements or not, and this may have been related to cataract progression. No saffron-related serious adverse events were detected.Conclusion Saffron supplementation modestly improved mfERG responses in participants with AMD, including those using AREDS supplements. Given the chronic nature of AMD, longer-term supplementation may produce greater benefits. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4bf438060ebd49eeb7eeda90d0b9e850 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2397-3269 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-07-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj-art-4bf438060ebd49eeb7eeda90d0b9e8502025-02-06T08:50:10ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open Ophthalmology2397-32692024-07-019110.1136/bmjophth-2023-001399Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degenerationPeter J McCluskey0Thomas Hong1Andrew A Chang2John Grigg3Geoffrey K Broadhead4Timothy E Schlub5Eugenia Chu6Save Sight Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Retina Clinic, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaThe University of Sydney, Save Sight Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaThe University of Sydney, Save Sight Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaThe University of Sydney, Save Sight Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaThe University of Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaSydney Retina Clinic, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaObjective To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of oral saffron, a natural antioxidant, in treating mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Methods and analysis Open-label, extension trial of 93 adults (>50 years) with mild/moderate AMD and vision >20/70 Snellen equivalent in at least 1 eye. Exclusion criteria included confounding visual lesions or significant gastrointestinal disease impairing absorption.Participants were given oral saffron supplementation (20 mg/day) for 12 months. Those already consuming Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS) supplements or equivalent maintained these.Primary outcomes included changes in multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) response density and latency, and changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Secondary outcomes included safety outcomes, changes in mfERG and BCVA among participants on AREDS supplements and changes in microperimetry.Results At 12 months, mean mfERG response density was significantly higher in rings 1, 2 and overall (p<0.001 for all) but not in rings 3–6, and there was no difference in response between those taking AREDS supplements and those not (p>0.05). Mean mfERG latency was not significantly different in any of rings 1–6 or overall (p>0.05 for all), again with no difference between those taking AREDS supplements or not (p>0.05). Mean BCVA was 1.6 letters worse (p<0.05) with no difference between those on AREDS supplements or not, and this may have been related to cataract progression. No saffron-related serious adverse events were detected.Conclusion Saffron supplementation modestly improved mfERG responses in participants with AMD, including those using AREDS supplements. Given the chronic nature of AMD, longer-term supplementation may produce greater benefits.https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001399.full |
| spellingShingle | Peter J McCluskey Thomas Hong Andrew A Chang John Grigg Geoffrey K Broadhead Timothy E Schlub Eugenia Chu Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration BMJ Open Ophthalmology |
| title | Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration |
| title_full | Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration |
| title_fullStr | Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration |
| title_short | Saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age-related macular degeneration |
| title_sort | saffron therapy for the ongoing treatment of age related macular degeneration |
| url | https://bmjophth.bmj.com/content/9/1/e001399.full |
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