The origin of Saffron
The history of Saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) cultivation in Iran is related to more than 3000 years ago, which is one of the special attractions of Iran. This medicinal plant is perennial, colorful and expensive. Since it grew in desert soil, it is known as red gold or desert gold.
The saffron derives from the stigma and styles — called threads — within the flower itself. Saffron is very expensive due to the difficulty of harvesting it. Farmers must harvest the delicate threads from each flower by hand. They then heat and cure the threads to bring out the flavor of the saffron. This extra labor makes saffron one of the most expensive spices in the world.
“Natural extracts containing Saffron (Herbal medicine/traditional medicine)”
In this section, polyherbal formulations for traditional usage of natural extracts containing saffron as well as various therapeutic areas validated in clinical studies are included;
1. Modulation of nervous system: Formulate a product for treatment of globus hystericus, the feeling of a lump in the throat as a symptom of anxiety or hysteria, composed of sativus, sandalwood, cardamoms, albizzia flower, Tribulus terrestris and some another. In this product administrated per os., C. sativus has beneficial effects on the blood circulation, mood and depression. In addition, other products have thus far been patented against depression, and cerebral arteriosclerosis.
2. Modulation of cardiovascular function: Clinical data demonstrated the efficacy of saffron-contained formulations in treating coronary heart disease, heart failure, angina pectoris, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease and vasculitis. It has been indicated that saffron has relieving effects on activating collateral. Also, it has been indicated that the latter mixture has beneficial effects on stabilizing blood pressure and lowering blood lipids. Another investigation demonstrated that using capsules containing saffron crocus, is the improvement of metabolism and immune system as well as the reduction of cholesterol which is the other beneficial effects of this product.
3. Inflammation, infection, and immunomodulation: Due to traditional application of saffron against inflammation, infection and immunomodulation, a large number of available products have been formulated in this field. It has been demonstrated that a mixture of C. sativus, notoginseng root, frankincense, myrrha, sappan wood, Radix Dipsaci, honeysuckle flower, jiulongjin and dragon’s blood could help treat bone fracture. One product of C. sativus includes one adult Zoacys dhumnades, and white liquor. This composition could enhance immune cell function and improve body resistance. The combination of sweet wormwood, borneol and C. sativus could cure the diseases of the laryngeal part of pharynx, including acute and chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis and tonsillitis Taken together, several investigations confirmed the effect of saffron products in . Besides, it has been demonstrated that formulations containing saffron could positively affect treatment of several musculoskeletal system difficulties as follow: pain relieving, rheumatic heart disease.
4. Modulation of eye and skin disorders and the other miscellaneous effects: Oral administration of saffron and resveratrol combination has been revealed to improve general health and cataracts and similar eye condition in geriatric people. These synergic protective effects were attributed to their antioxidative and gene modifying potential. Besides, saffron could be curative in patients suffering from epithelial membrane dystrophy with acute pain in the eye and recurrent corneal erosions, in combination with at least another antioxidant and one chemically inactive excipient. Preventing and eliminating skin inflammation, skin moisturizing effects, anti-inflammatory, antalgic and scar-suppressive, whitening and removing freckle marks, treating skin burns and eczema and acne are some therapeutic. In addition to the effect of saffron on the indicated disorders, the function of this medical herb has been implicated in anticancer formulations for treating lung tumor and breast cancer. Natural extracts containing saffron have therapeutic effects on damp-heat stagnation type abdominal mass, liver diseases, cirrhosis, duodenal ulcer, non-ulcer dyspepsia, peptic ulcer and chronic gastritis. In addition, in the case of viral hepatitis, cure rate was 100%, while this was 40% in hepatitis B.
“Conclusion”
Several findings emphasize the golden function of saffron and its derivatives in various formulations. TSC is well-established as an adjutant for treating cancer, hypoxia, ischemia and increasing thrombolytic drug’s efficacy. Saffron constituents enhance drug delivery systems, cell phenotyping and treating cardiovascular, CNS, skin and urogenital diseases. Polyherbal formulations containing saffron have medical effects on the blood circulation, in addition to dysmenorrheal, amenorrhea and irregular menstruation. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, as well as promoting immune function and treating depression are the other functions of saffron containing poly herbal formulations.
(Reference: Maryam Rameshrad, Bibi Marjan Razavi & Hossein Hosseinzadeh (2017):
Saffron and its derivatives, crocin, crocetin and safranal: a patent review, Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Patents, DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2017.1355909
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13543776.2017.1355909)
Some articles about Crocin’s Properties
· Crocin, safranal and picrocrocin from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in vitro
In order to study the cytotoxic effect of the characteristic compounds of saffron spice, we have isolated crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal. Doses inducing 50% cell growth inhibition (LD50) on HeLa cells were 2.3 mg/ml for an ethanolic extract of saffron dry stigmas, 3 mM for crocin, 0.8 mM for safranal and 3 mM for picrocrocin. Crocetin did not show cytotoxic effects. Cells treated with crocin exhibited wide cytoplasmic vacuole-like areas, reduced cytoplasm, cell shrinkage and pyknotic nuclei, suggesting apoptosis induction. Considering its water-solubility and high inhibitory growth effect, crocin is the more promising saffron compound to be assayed as a cancer therapeutic agent.
(Reference: JulioEscribano, Gonzalo-LuisAlonso, MiguelCoca-Pradosc José-AntonioFernández, Volume 100, Issues 1–2, 27 February 1996, Pages 23-30.
Download journal in https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0304383595040676)
· A Perspective on Crocus sativus L. (Saffron) Constituent Crocin: A Potent Water-Soluble Antioxidant and Potential Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, in which the death of brain cells causes memory loss and cognitive decline. Existing medical therapies only modestly alleviate and delay cognitive symptoms. Current research has been focused on developing antibodies. The biological properties of saffron, the dry stigma of the plant Crocus sativus L., and particularly its main constituent crocin, have been studied extensively for many conditions including dementia and traumatic brain injury. Crocin is a unique antioxidant because it is a water-soluble carotenoid. Crocin has shown the potential to improve learning and memory as well as protect brain cells. This review demonstrates that crocin exhibits multifunctional protective activities in the brain and could be a promising agent applied as a supplement or drug for prevention or treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
(References:
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry from John W Finley and Song Gao. 18 Ja 2017.
Ali, Yu, Kousar, Khalid, Maqbool, Aziz, Arshad, Aadil, Trif, Riaz, Shaukat, Manzoor and Qin. 2022. Download in pubmed central)
· Protective effects of saffron extract and its active constituent crocin against oxidative stress and spatial learning and memory deficits induced by chronic stress in rats
Although it is well established that chronic stress impairs spatial learning and memory, few studies have investigated possible ways to prevent its deleterious effects. Observations indicate that saffron and its active constituent crocin can prevent the impairment of learning and memory as well as the oxidative stress damage to the hippocampus induced by chronic stress. Thus, using these substances may be useful in pharmacological alleviation of cognitive deficits.
(Reference: Behshid Ghadrdoost , Abbas Ali Vafaei, Ali Rashidy-Pour, Razieh Hajisoltani , Ahmad Reza Bandegi, Fareshteh Motamedi , Saeed Haghighi, Hamid Reza Sameni , Sharzad Pahlvan, European Journal of Pharmacology 667 (2011) 222-279)
· Effects of saffron extract and its constituent crocin on learning behaviour and long-term potentiation
Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that saffron extracts have antitumour effects, radical scavenger properties or hypolipemic effects. Among the constituents of saffron extract, crocetin is mainly responsible for these pharmacological activities. Saffron extract improved ethanol-induced impairments of learning behaviors in mice, and prevented ethanol-induced inhibition of hippocampal long-term potentiation, a form of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity that may underly learning and memory. This effect of saffron extract is attributed to crocin (crocetin di-gentiobiose ester), but not crocetin. Saffron extract or its active constituents, crocetin and crocin, could be useful as a treatment for neurodegenerative disorders accompanying memory impairment.
(Reference: Kazuho Abe and Hiroshi Saito, Phytotherapy Research 14, 149–152 (2000). Copyright, 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)
· Effect of Crocin from Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Supplementation on Oxidant/Antioxidant Markers, Exercise Capacity, and Pulmonary Function Tests in COPD Patients: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Intervention with crocin for 12 weeks in COPD patients decreased serum levels of TOS and NF-κB as well as increased TAOC. Crocin supplementation appears to effectively establish oxidant/antioxidant balance and improve inflammatory conditions in patients with COPD.
(Reference: Hassan Ghobadi, Nasim Abdollahi, Hanieh Madani, Mohammad Reza Aslani. Front. Pharmacol 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.884710)
· Effects of Saffron and its Active Constituents, Crocin and Safranal, on Prevention of Indomethacin Induced Gastric Ulcers in Diabetic and Nondiabetic
Saffron is well known for the treatment of gastric disorders in traditional medicine. In the search for new potential antiulcer agents, the effects of the ethanol extract of saffron and its active constituents crocin and safranal as compared with omeprazole against gastric ulcer induced by indomethacin in non-diabetic and streptozocin diabetic were studied.
Results: Saffron extract, crocin, safranal and omeprazol prevented the gastric lesions, increase of lipid peroxidation and decrease of glutathione levels induced by indomethacin in non-diabetic and diabetic as compared with the control group (P < 0.01).
Conclusions: Saffron, crocin and safranal may prevent the gastric mucosa damage due to their antioxidant properties by increasing.
(References:
Journal of Medicinal Plants, Kianbakht (Ph.D.), Mozaffari (M.D.) 2009.
Alireza Rezaee Khorasany1 and Hossein Hosseinzadeh, Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2016 May; 19(5): 455–469.)
· Oxidative stress and low-grade chronic inflammation stand out as key features of physiological skin ageing. Moreover, considering the newly emerging field of skin glycobiology and the presence of two gentiobiosyl moieties in crocin, the effect of crocin on NHEK glycosylation pathways is important. Crocin is endowed with an antioxidant potential against reactive oxygen species, protects squalene against UVA-induced peroxidation and prevents the release of inflammatory mediators. Results could designate this molecule as a promising skin ageing prevention cosmetic agent.
· Crocin of saffron has an anti-solar effect and can absorb UV rays of the sun. The extracted yellow color mostly consists of crocin, this is extracted easily soluble in water, propylene glycol and glycerin, and based on the application use in formulation of perfumes, body lotion, hair shampoos, hair care products, moisturizing creams, sun protection creams and liquid soaps as coloring agent.