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PubMed2005

Effect of dietary saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on the oxidative stability of egg yolk.

1. The effects of dietary inclusion of red stigmas of Greek saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on the oxidative stability of shell eggs and liquid yolks were investigated and compared with those of dietary a-tocopherol. 2. Ninety-six Lohmann laying hens, 38 weeks old, distributed into 4 groups with 4 replicates each, were given either a control diet, diets enriched with 10 (SAF10) or 20 (SAF20) mg/kg saffron, or a diet enriched with 200 mg/kg a-tocopheryl acetate (VE200). 3. Following 6 weeks of feeding, eggs were collected and the rate of lipid oxidation was determined in refrigerated stored shell eggs, as well as in yolks adjusted to a pH of 6.2 or 4.2 and stored in the presence of light. 4. The results showed that the extent of lipid oxidation in shell eggs, as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, differed between dietary treatments, but did not change with storage time. In stored shell eggs, MDA levels differed between dietary treatments at all time points. 5. Yolks from the control group adjusted to pH 6.2 gave MDA values higher than those of the SAF10 group, which in turn were higher than those of the SAF20 group, a finding suggesting that saffron exerted a dose-dependent antioxidative activity. The VE200 group gave lower MDA values than the other groups at all time points. The oxidation profile of yolks at pH 4.2 showed a similar pattern but the rate of oxidation was greater.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed2001

Inhibition of genotoxicity by saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in mice.

Experiments were carried out to ascertain whether or not saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L.), a commonly used agent for flavoring and coloring food can exert modulatory effects on the in vivo genotoxicity of cisplatin (CIS), cyclophosphamide (CPH), mitomycin C (MMC) and urethane (URE). For this purpose, Swiss albino mice were pretreated for five consecutive days with three doses (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg body weight) of the aqueous extract of saffron. Genotoxic effects were assessed in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test. The results obtained suggest that pretreatment with saffron can significantly inhibit the genotoxicity of CIS, CPH, MMC and URE. This inhibitory effect was not always dose-dependent. In addition, the hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was assessed in the control and treated animals. No significant change in GST activity was observed after pretreatment with saffron alone. Treatment with the genotoxins alone significantly inhibited GST activity. Saffron pretreatment attenuated the inhibitory effects of the genotoxins on GST activity.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2006

Effect of Saffron (Crocus sativus) on neurobehavioral and neurochemical changes in cerebral ischemia in rats.

The modifying effects of Crocus sativus (CS) stigma extract on neurobehavioral activities, malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activities, and glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp) content were examined in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (MCAO) model of acute cerebral ischemia in rats. The right MCA of male Wistar rats was occluded for 2 hours using intraluminal 4-0 monofilament, and reperfusion was allowed for 22 hours. MCAO caused significant depletion in the contents of GSH and its dependent enzymes while significant elevation of MDA, Glu, and Asp. The activities of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, SOD, and CAT were decreased significantly by MCAO. The neurobehavioral activities (grip strength, spontaneous motor activity, and motor coordination) were also decreased significantly in the MCAO group. All the alterations induced by ischemia were significantly attenuated by pretreatment of CS (100 mg/kg of body weight, p.o.) 7 days before the induction of MCAO and correlated well with histopathology by decreasing the neuronal cell death following MCAO and reperfusion. The present results may suggest the effectiveness of CS in focal ischemia most probably by virtue of its antioxidant property.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Cancer chemopreventive and tumoricidal properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L.).

Since cancer is the most common cause of death in the world population, the possibility that readily available natural substances from plants, vegetables, herbs, and spices may be beneficial in the prevention of cancer warrants closer examination. Saffron in filaments is the dried, dark red stigmata of Crocus sativus L. flowers and it is used as a spice, food colorant, and a drug in medicine. A growing body of research has demonstrated that saffron extract itself and its main constituents, the carotenoids, possess chemopreventive properties against cancer. This review discusses recent literature data and our results on the cancer chemopreventive activities of saffron and its main ingredients.

Crocus↗
PubMed2006

Protective effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) aqueous extract against genetic damage induced by anti-tumor agents in mice.

The genotoxic potential of anti-tumor drugs limits their efficacy in the treatment of cancers. Since ancient times, saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L.) has been used as a spice and medicinal herb. Saffron is a rich source of carotenoids and is known for its anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties. The present study was designed to ascertain the chemoprotective potential of saffron against the genotoxicity of three well-known anti-tumor drugs-cisplatin (CIS), cyclophosphamide (CPH) and mitomycin-C (MMC)--using comet assay. Three doses of saffron (20, 40 and 80 mg/kg b.w.) were orally administered to mice for five consecutive days prior to the administration of anti-tumor drugs under investigation. Pre-treatment with saffron significantly inhibited anti-tumor drugs induced cellular DNA damage (strand breaks) as revealed by decreased comet tail length, tail moment and percent DNA in the tail. These findings, together with our previous results, suggest a potential role for saffron as an anti-genotoxic, anti-oxidant and chemopreventive agent and could be used as an adjuvant in chemotherapeutic applications.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2006

Relaxant effect of Crocus sativus (saffron) on guinea-pig tracheal chains and its possible mechanisms.

As indicated in ancient Iranian medical books, Crocus sativus has therapeutic effects on respiratory diseases. The relaxant effect of this plant has been observed also on smooth muscles in previous studies. Therefore, in this study the relaxant effects of aqueous-ethanolic extracts of C. sativus and one of its main constituents, safranal, were examined on guinea-pig tracheal chains. The relaxant effects of four cumulative concentrations of aqueous-ethanolic extract (0.15, 0.3, 0.45, and 0.60 g %) and safranal (0.15, 0.30, 0.45, and 0.60 mL 0.2 mg mL(-1) solution) in comparison with saline, as negative control, and four cumulative concentrations of theophylline (0.15, 0.30, 0.45, and 0.60 mM), as positive control, were examined using guinea-pig precontracted tracheal chains. The tracheal chains had been precontracted by three different methods. Group 1 had been precontracted using 10 microM methacholine. The other two groups had been precontracted using 60 mM KCl at two different conditions: non-incubated tissues (group 2) and tissues incubated with 1 microM propranolol, 1 microM chlorpheniramine and 1 microM atropine (group 3) (for each group, n = 6). In group 1 all concentrations of theophylline, extract and safranal showed significant relaxant effects compared with saline (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). In group 2 theophylline, extract and safranal showed concentration-dependent relaxant effects also compared with saline (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001 for different concentrations except two low concentrations of safranal). However, in group 3 the extracts of C. sativus showed a weak relaxant effect (P < 0.05 only for the highest concentration). The effects of the last concentration of safranal (0.60 mL 0.2 mg mL(-1) solution) in group 1, and all its concentrations in group 2 were significantly lower than those of theophylline (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001). In addition, the effects of safranal 0.45 and 0.60 mL 0.2 mg mL(-1) solution in groups 1 and 2 were significantly lower than that of C. sativus extract. There were significant correlations between the relaxant effects and concentrations for extract, safranal and theophylline in all experimental groups (P < 0.001 for all cases). These results showed a potent relaxant effect of C. sativus on tracheal chains of guinea-pigs that was comparable to or even higher than that of theophylline at the concentrations used. The results indicated that safranal was, at least in part, responsible for the relaxant effect of C. sativus.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Induction of petal-like structures from petals of Crocus sativus L. and the differentiation of style-stigma-like structures in vitro].

Firstly the petal of Crocus sativus L was cultured on the medium that supplemented with different combinations of hormones. The petal-like structures(PLS) were induced on medium, but the induction rates were different in various medium. The highest induction rate of petal-like structures was obtained on the media that was supplemented with NAA (4 mg/L) and KT (8 mg/L). The petal-like structures were subcultured on another media when the structure was produced on the explants and proliferate groups. The later media was used for inducing style-stigma-like structures(SSLS). The induction rate of style-stigma-like-structures in the petal-like structures group is much higher than the rate in the preceding work, and the maximum of style-stigma-like structures produced per explant was 30. The best result of style-stigma-like structures was observed on the petal-like structure groups which came from the third treatment. The differentiation rate of style-stigma-like structures is stable in the subcultures of petal-like structures. The result revealed that the induction frequency of style-stigma-like structures formed on the petal-like structures is higher than that form on the petals of C. sativus L.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed2003

Inhibitory effects of aqueous crude extract of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on chemical-induced genotoxicity in mice.

Saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L.), was evaluated in the mouse bone marrow micronucleus test for its possible protective effects against chromosomal damage induced by cisplatin (CIS), mitomycin-C (MMC) and urethane (URE). Three doses of saffron (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight) were orally administered to mice for five consecutive days prior to administration of genotoxins under investigation. From the results obtained, it was evident that the administration of 50 and 100 mg saffron/kg body weight could significantly inhibit the in vivo genotoxicity of these genotoxins. However, all the three doses of saffron were effective in exerting a protective effect against urethane.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

[Physiological and ecological effects of potassium on expansion of crocus corm].

The corm size of Crocus sativus, a well-known medicine, is a key limiting factor for its stigma harvest. A water cultural experiment with four different potassium (K) concentrations showed that the K content, chlorophyll content, relative ATP content and net photosynthetic rate in C. sativus leaves increased with improving K concentration, which enhanced the function of leaves to be metabolic source. On the other hand, the K absorbing ability and the contents of soluble sugars, vitamin C (Vc) and protein in new-born corms were increased with improving K concentration, which also strengthened the function of new-born corms to be metabolic sink. This study also showed that K could promote the new-born corm growth rate of C. sativus through strengthening the function of "source" and "sink".

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2005

Safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus (saffron), attenuated cerebral ischemia induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus.

Increased oxidative stress has been implicated in the mechanisms of delayed neuronal cell death following cerebral ischemic insult. In this study, we investigated whether safranal, an active constituent of Crocus sativus L. stigmas, may ameliorate ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. Male NMRI rats were divided into six groups, namely, sham, control, ischemia and ischemia treated with safranal (four groups). The transient global cerebral ischemia was induced using four-vessel-occlusion method for 20 min. Safranal was injected intraperitoneally (727.5 mg/kg, 363.75 mg/kg, 145.5 mg/kg, and 72.75 mg/kg body weight) 5 min. prior to reperfusion and the administration was continued every 24 hours for 72 hours after induction of ischemia. The markers of oxidative stress including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total sulfhydryl (SH) groups and antioxidant capacity of hippocampus (using FRAP assay) were measured. The transient global cerebral ischemia induced a significant increase in TBARS levels (p<0.001), decrement in both antioxidant power (FRAP value) (p<0.05) and total sulfhydryl (SH) concentrations (p<0.001) in comparison with sham-operated animals. Following safranal administration the total SH contents (3.2 vs. 0.7micromol/g, p<0.001, safranal 727.5 mg/kg) and antioxidant capacity (4.12 vs. 1.16 micromol/g, p<0.001; 727.5 mg/kg) were elevated in hippocampus in comparison with ischemic group. The MDA level was declined significantly in hippocampus (52.31 vs. 159.70 nmol/g, p<0.001; 727.5 mg/kg). It is concluded that safranal have some protective effects on different markers of oxidative damage in hippocampal tissue from ischemic rats.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative study of superoxide dismutase activity assays in Crocus sativus L. corms.

Superoxide dismutase catalyzes the breakdown of the superoxide radical anion and provides the first line of defense against oxygen toxicity. Its vital importance has made it the subject of numerous investigations. Several assays have been proposed for the detection and quantitation of superoxide dismutase activity, but their use has remained controversial and no comparative studies have been reported. In this investigation, three commonly used methods were compared for the measurement of superoxide dismutase activity in Crocus sativus L. corm extract. The methods, based on a competition between the enzyme itself and another superoxide scavenger, involved respectively cytochrome c reduction, nitro blue tetrazolium reduction, and pyrogallol autoxidation. Because of its accuracy, reproducibility, simplicity and cost benefit, the latter method was the most appropriate.

Crocus↗
PubMed1991

Antitumour activity of saffron (Crocus sativus).

Antitumor activity of saffron (Crocus sativus) extract a commonly used spice in India was studied against intraperitoneally transplanted sarcoma-180 (S-180), Ehrlich ascites Carcinoma (EAC) and Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) tumours in mice. Oral administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of the extract increased the life span of S-180, EAC, DLA tumour bearing mice to 111.0%, 83.5% and 112.5%, respectively. The same extract was found to be cytotoxic to P38B, S-180, EAC and DLA tumour cells in vitro. Thymidine uptake studies indicated the mechanism of action of the extract at the site of DNA synthesis. Toxicity studies showed that the hematological and biochemical parameters were within normal range. These results indicate the potential use of saffron as an anticancer agent.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Crocin, safranal and picrocrocin from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in vitro.

Extracts of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) have been reported to inhibit cell growth of human tumor cells. 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 effect. 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.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗
PubMed1991

Modulatory effects of Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts on cisplatin-induced toxicity in mice.

In mice, an extract of Crocus sativus stigmas partially prevented the decreases in body weight, hemoglobin levels and leucocyte counts caused by 2 mg/kg of cisplatin i.p. for 5 days. Treatment with the C. sativus extract also significantly prolonged the life span of cisplatin-treated mice almost three-fold. In contrast, an extract of Nigella sativa seed only tended to protect from cisplatin-induced falls in hemoglobin levels and leucocyte counts.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Flavonol glycosides from flowers of Crocus speciosus and C. antalyensis.

From the flower extracts of Crocus speciosus and C. antalyensis nine flavonol glycosides have been isolated. One of these products is a new flavonol glycoside identified as kaempferol 3-O-alpha-(2,3-di-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)rhamnopyranoside by UV, mass and NMR spectroscopy.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗
PubMed1999

In vitro activation of macrophages by a novel proteoglycan isolated from corms of Crocus sativus L.

Saffron corms contain a proteoglycan that is highly cytotoxic on human tumor cells. The present work was undertaken to study the possible immunomodulatory and anti-invasive properties of this compound. Non-cytotoxic concentrations of this glycoconjugate promoted significant macrophage activation, detected by the release of nitric oxide. A rapid activation of protein kinase C and NF-kappaB was obtained after proteoglycan treatment, which could explain the induction of nitric oxide synthase. Proteoglycan concentrations ranging from 10-1000 ng/ml specifically promoted apoptosis of macrophages, probably triggered by their activation. This molecule did not inhibit in vitro migration or invasion of human tumor cells. Altogether these results support a plausible immuno-modulating activity for this saffron Crocus compound.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2001

Chemical investigation of gamma-irradiated saffron (Crocus sativus L.).

Changes in aroma and coloring properties of saffron (Crocus sativus) after gamma-irradiation at doses of 2.5 and 5 kGy (necessary for microbial decontamination) were investigated. The volatile essential oil constituents responsible for aroma of the spice were isolated by steam distillation and then subsequently analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). No significant qualitative changes were observed in these constituents upon irradiation, although a trained sensory panel could detect slight quality deterioration at a dose of 5 kGy. Carotene glucosides that impart color to the spice were isolated by solvent extraction and then subjected to thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Fractionation of the above pigments into aglycon and glucosides was achieved by using ethyl acetate and n-butanol, respectively. Analysis of these fractions by HPLC revealed a decrease in glucosides and an increase in aglycon content in irradiated samples. The possibility of degradation of pigments during gamma irradiation is discussed.

1-Butanol↗