Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30343354›Full record

Trial reportGraefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie2019

Saffron therapy for the treatment of mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration: a randomised clinical trial.

Geoffrey K Broadhead, John R Grigg, Peter McCluskey, Thomas Hong, Timothy E Schlub, Andrew A Chang

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 48 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
48citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

48 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 75 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
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  5. DoesJournal of evidence-based integrative medicine
    Pooled it
  6. Trial
  7. Trial
  8. Trial
  9. Adverse Events of Saffron (Health science reports · 2026
    Article
  10. Review
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  12. Review
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  15. Review
  16. Different Therapeutic Approaches for Dry and Wet AMD.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024
    Review
  17. Potential therapeutic effects of crocin.Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology · 2024
    Review
  18. Review
  19. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Geoffrey K BroadheadSave Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, 8 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
John R GriggSave Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, 8 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Peter McCluskeySave Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, 8 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Thomas HongSydney Institute of Vision Science, Sydney, Australia.
Timothy E SchlubSydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Andrew A ChangSave Sight Institute, The University of Sydney, 8 Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia. achang@sydneyretina.com.au.
University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess the efficacy and safety of oral saffron, a natural antioxidant, in treating mild/moderate age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

methodsRandomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover trial of 100 adults (> 50 years) with mild/moderate AMD and vision > 20/70 Snellen equivalent in at least one eye. Exclusion criteria included confounding visual lesions, or significant gastrointestinal disease impairing absorption. Participants were given oral saffron supplementation (20 mg/day) for 3 months or placebo for 3 months, followed by crossover for 3 months. Participants already consuming Age-Related Eye Diseases Study (AREDS) supplements or equivalent maintained these. Primary outcomes included changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and changes in multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) response density and latency. Secondary outcomes included safety outcomes and changes in mfERG and BCVA amongst participants on AREDS supplements.

resultsMean BCVA improved 0.69 letters (p = 0.001) and mean-pooled mfERG latency reduced 0.17 ms (p = 0.04) on saffron compared to placebo. Amongst participants on AREDS supplements, mean BCVA improved 0.73 letters p = 0.006) and mean-pooled mfERG response density improved 2.8% (p = 0.038). There was no significant difference in adverse event occurrence (p > 0.10).

conclusionSaffron supplementation modestly improved visual function in participants with AMD, including those using AREDS supplements. Given the chronic nature of AMD, longer-term supplementation may produce greater benefits.

Indexed as

CrocusDietary SupplementsVisual AcuityAdministration, OralAgedAged, 80 and overCross-Over StudiesDouble-Blind MethodElectroretinographyFemaleFluorescein AngiographyFollow-Up StudiesFundus OculiHumansMacula LuteaMacular DegenerationAge-related macular degenerationClinical trialsElectroretinogramNutritional supplementationSaffron

Identifiers

PMID30343354
OpenAlexW2895953200

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.