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Introduction: It has been reported that acute administration of morphine impairs learning and memory processes in rats. Furthermore, recent studies showed that Saffron extract improved ethanol-induced impairments of learning behaviors in mice, and also prevented ethanol-induced inhibition of hippocampal long-term potentiation. It can be postulated that there are some common mechanisms responsible for the morphine and ethanol-induced impairments of spatial learning and memory. Therefore in the present study we investigated the effects of Saffron extract on morphineinduced learning and memory impairments in rat using Morris water maze (MWM). Methods: In the current study, male rats received Saffron extract (10, 30 or 50 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 minutes before injection of morphine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline for 5 consecutive days. Animals of two control groups received only morphine or saline. Spatial learning and memory parameters in the same days in the (MWM) were tested and subjected to the ANOVA and followed by Tukey’s test for multiple comparisons. Results: The data indicated that administration of morphine impaired formation of spatial learning and memory processes. Application of Saffron extract can improve adverse effects induced by morphine in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the extract of Saffron can inhibit morphine-induced impairments on spatial learning and memory in rats.

Keywords: morphine, Saffron extract, spatial learning and memory, Morris water maze.

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