Objectives: Multiple sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease of CNS in which, inflammation causes the myelin to disappear, ensuing disturbances in vision, speech, walking and memory. This overwhelming inflammatory pattern is accompanied by a progressive increase in free-radicals generation resulting to oxidative stress. Toll-like receptors have a critical role in innate immunity. TLR-mediated activation of innate immunity is involved not only in host defense against pathogens but also in immune disorders such as MS. Saffron extract or its active constituent, crocin, have been shown to pose potential therapeutic effects in different models of oxidative stress-induced neurodegenerative disorders. Materials & Methods: Herein the potential effects of crocin (100mg/kg/day i.p.), as an herbal antioxidant on the mRNA expression different members of TLR family using real-time RT-PCR, following the induction of Experimental Autoimmune was evaluated. Encephalitis (EAE) is an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis. In this model, animals are introduced to the whole or parts of various proteins of the myelin sheet, which mounts the animal\\\\\\\'s immune system to attack on its own myelin. Results & Conclusion: Although the expression of TLR-2, TLR-3 and TLR-4 were increased in EAE animals spinal cords, injecting crocin could significantly downregulate the TLR-2 and TLR-4 expression at day 7 after induction of EAE, resulting in alleviation of overall inflammatory responses.

Keywords