Studies have reported that saffron pre-treatment alters the gut microbiota composition, prevents the depletion of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in mice with experimental colitis, improves colitis symptoms by suppressing nitric oxide (NO) and COX-2 production [147], and lowers CRP and TNF levels [221] in mice with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis [160,162,222]. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and colitis.