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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Repetitive DNA sequences in Crocus vernus Hill (Iridaceae): the genomic organization and distribution of dispersed elements in the genus Crocus and its allies.

Eight clones of repetitive DNA were isolated from Crocus vernus Hill. The genomic organization of the clones was analyzed by in situ hybridization to C. vernus and Southern hybridization to a range of Crocus and other species. Seven clones were used for in situ hybridization. Sequence analysis showed that all eight clones were nonhomologous, and thus represented eight different sequence-families. In situ hybridization showed that six were dispersed in high copy numbers on all chromosomes of the C. vernus genome, whereas one was localized proximal to the secondary constriction, at the NOR (nucleolar organizer region) and was not further analyzed, as it was considered part of the 18S-25S rDNA repeat. Except for short palindromes, none of the sequences showed notable internal structures. Clone pCvKB4 showed homology to the reverse transcriptase gene of Ty1-copia-like retrotransposons; the others showed no homology to known sequences. When used as probes for Southern hybridization, four showed a ladder of 3-4 bands superimposed by irregular patterns, indicating organization in short tandem arrays. Each clone had a unique distribution among Crocus species (12-16 species analyzed with each clone) and six species of Iridaceae, Liliaceae, and Amaryllidaceae; all seven investigated sequences were Iridaceae specific and four were Crocus specific. The species distribution of these seven clones showed notable discrepancies with the taxonomic subdivision of the genus at the subgenus, section, and series levels. The results suggest that the phylogeny and taxonomic structure of the genus Crocus might need reconsideration. The analysis of repetitive DNA as a major and rapidly evolving part of the genome could contribute to the study of species relationships and evolution.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2000

Comparison of enterotoxicity between autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.) and colchicine in the guinea pig and mouse : enterotoxicity in the guinea pig differs from that in the mouse.

Autumn crocus poisoning of cattle is characterized by severe diarrhea caused by alkaloid colchicine. Previously, we examined pathologically this poisoning in cattle and reported that enterotoxic lesions were closely associated with apoptosis. To examine enterotoxicity of autumn crocus more precisely, a reproductive study was performed using guinea pigs and mice, and pathological findings associated with autumn crocus poisoning were compared with those of colchicine. Each group of guinea pigs given the bulb of autumn crocus or colchicine exhibited severe diarrhea. Histopathological findings in intoxicated guinea pigs were entirely consistent with those in the autumn crocus-poisoned cattle. In contrast, each group of mice administered with the bulb or colchicine did not develop diarrhea. Our results confirmed that the toxicity of autumn crocus bulb is attributable to the toxicity of ingredient colchicine, and revealed that the guinea pig has high reproducibility of autumn crocus poisoning in cattle and colchicine poisoning in humans. It has been reported that the physiological mechanism of the apoptotic process for eliminating the enterocytes in the mouse and rat differs from that of the guinea pig, monkey, cattle and horse. Taking the observation that the former animals do not develop diarrhea, whereas the latter animals do so in the autumn crocus or colchicine poisoning into consideration, it would seem that the species-difference in enterotoxicity of autumn crocus may be closely associated with the physiological mechanism of eliminating the effete enterocytes.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Protective effect of cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts on cisplatin-induced toxicity in rats.

Cisplatin [cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum (II)] is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug that is toxic to the kidney. Concurrent administration of cysteine together with vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa reduced the toxicity of cisplatin in rats. When administered i.p. for 5 alternate days with 3 mg/kg cisplatin, cysteine (20 mg/kg) together with vitamin E (2 mg/rat) an extract of Crocus sativus stigmas (50 mg/kg) and Nigella sativa seed (50 mg/kg) significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine levels as well as cisplatin-induced serum total lipids increases. In contrast, the protective agents given together with cisplatin led to an even greater decrease in blood glucose than that seen with cisplatin alone. The serum activities of alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase of cisplatin-treated rats were significantly decreased, whereas the activities of glutathione reductase and isocitrate dehydrogenase were significantly increased. Addition of cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa in combination with cisplatin partially prevented many changes in the activities of serum enzymes. In cisplatin-treated rats, the liver activities of isocitrate dehydrogenase and aspartate aminotransferase were significantly increased, whereas much greater changes were found in the kidneys, with increased activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and decreased activities of alkaline phosphatase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and gamma-glutamyl transferase, as well as a decreased phosphorylation to oxidation ratio in the mitochondria, indicating reduced adenosine triphosphate production. Also, administration of cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa together with cisplatin partially reversed many of the kidney enzymes changes induced by cisplatin. Cysteine together with vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa tended to protect from cisplatin-induced falls in leucocyte counts, haemoglobin levels and mean osmotic fragility of erythrocytes and also prevented the increase in haematocrit. The results of this study indicate a basis for the toxic effects of cisplatin, and suggest a possible way of counteracting the toxicity by introducing protective agents such sulphydryl compounds, other antioxidants and extracts of natural products. It also appears that cells adapt to the effects of cisplatin through the induction of systems that produce NADPH, which in turn compensates the decrease of free sulphydryl groups. We conclude that cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella Sativa may be a promising compound for reducing cisplatin-toxic side effects including nephrotoxicity.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

The genomic organization and evolutionary distribution of a tandemly repeated DNA sequence family in the genus Crocus (Iridaceae).

From a recombinant DNA-library from Crocus vernus, two closely related clones of highly repetitive DNA, pCvKB7 and pCvKB8, were sequenced and their genomic distribution and organization were investigated by Southern and in situ hybridization. The lengths of the clones were 181 and 178 bp respectively; the sequences were approximately 85% identical, and thus belonged to a sequence family, named the pCvKB8-family. No homologous sequences were found in the databases (BLAST made may 2004). The presence of pCvKB8 in 52 Crocus species and six species from other genera were analyzed by Southern hybridization. The sequence family was essentially Crocus-specific. However, the distribution of hybridization signal across the genus showed poor agreement with the taxonomic structure of the Crocus genus, suggesting that the subdivision does not follow the phylogeny of this sequence family. The chromosomal distribution on three Crocus species was essentially identical: tandem organization close to all telomeres and most centromeres, with a few additional intercalary sites.

Crocus↗

PubMed2000

Cloning and characterization of a monocot mannose-binding lectin from Crocus vernus (family Iridaceae).

The molecular structure and carbohydrate-binding activity of the lectin from bulbs of spring crocus (Crocus vernus) has been determined unambiguously using a combination of protein analysis and cDNA cloning. Molecular cloning revealed that the lectin called C. vernus agglutinin (CVA) is encoded by a precursor consisting of two tandemly arrayed lectin domains with a reasonable sequence similarity to the monocot mannose-binding lectins. Post-translational cleavage of the precursor yields two equally sized polypeptides. Mature CVA consists of two pairs of polypeptides and hence is a heterotetrameric protein. Surface plasmon resonance studies of the interaction of the crocus lectin with high mannose-type glycans showed that the lectin interacts specifically with exposed alpha-1,3-dimannosyl motifs. Molecular modelling studies confirmed further the close relationships in overall fold and three-dimensional structure of the mannose-binding sites of the crocus lectin and other monocot mannose-binding lectins. However, docking experiments indicate that only one of the six putative mannose-binding sites of the CVA protomer is active. These results can explain the weak carbohydrate-binding activity and low specific agglutination activity of the lectin. As the cloning and characterization of the spring crocus lectin demonstrate that the monocot mannose-binding lectins occur also within the family Iridaceae a refined model of the molecular evolution of this lectin family is proposed.

Agglutinins↗

PubMed1997

Purification and characterization of the alpha-1,3-mannosylmannose-recognizing lectin of Crocus vernus bulbs.

A unique mannose-binding lectin, highly specific for terminal Man(alpha1,3)Man groups, was isolated from bulbs of crocus (Crocus vernus All.). The lectin failed to bind to a mannose affinity column and was purified by simple gel permeation chromatography (Sephacryl S200). The purified lectin, obtained in crystalline form, had a molecular mass of 44 kDa on gel filtration and showed a single peptide band with a molecular mass of 11 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, indicating it to be a tetrameric protein composed of four identical subunits. The N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of the crocus lectin showed essentially no homology with that of other mannose-binding bulb lectins. The crocus lectin selectively interacted with the wild type Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other mannans carrying terminal Man(alpha1,3)Man but not with those lacking this disaccharide unit. In hapten inhibition studies, methyl alpha-mannopyranoside did not inhibit the mannan-lectin interaction. Of various alpha-mannooligosaccharides, those having the Man(alpha1,3)Man sequence showed the highest inhibitory potency, confirming the strict requirement of lectin for terminal alpha1,3-linked mannosylmannose units. An affinity column of immobilized lectin enabled the complete resolution of yeast mannan and glycogen. The immobilized lectin may provide a useful tool for purification and analysis of biologically important polysaccharides and glycoproteins.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Crocus sativus L. in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial.

Depression is a serious disorder in today's society, with estimates of lifetime prevalence as high as 21% of the general population in some developed countries. As a therapeutic plant, saffron is considered excellent for stomach ailments and as an antispasmodic, to help digestion and to increase appetite. It is also used for depression in Persian traditional medicine. Our objective was to assess the efficacy of the stigmas of Crocus sativus (saffron) in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week double-blind, placebo-controlled and randomized trial. Forty adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial. Patients had a baseline Hamilton rating scale for depression score of at least 18. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre and randomized trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive a capsule of saffron 30 mg[sol ]day (BD) (Group 1) or a capsule of placebo (BD) (Group 2) for a 6-week study. At 6 weeks, Crocus sativus produced a significantly better outcome on the Hamilton depression rating scale than the placebo (d.f. = 1, F = 18.89, p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of the observed side effects. The results of this study indicate the efficacy of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. A large-scale trial is justified.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Glucosylation of the saffron apocarotenoid crocetin by a glucosyltransferase isolated from Crocus sativus stigmas.

Saffron, the dry stigma of Crocus sativus L., is considered to be the world's most expensive spice. Three major apocarotenoids--crocin, crocetin and picrocrocin--are responsible for the colour and bitter taste of saffron. The final step in the biosynthesis of the 20-carbon esterified carotenoid crocin is the transformation of the insoluble crocetin into a soluble and stable storage form by glucosylation. These glucosylation reactions are catalysed by glucosyltransferases (GTases) that play a crucial role in natural-product biosynthesis. Using degenerate primers designed to match the plant secondary product GTase (PSPG) box we cloned two cDNAs, UGTCs2 and UGTCs3, from C. sativus stigmas that encode putative polypeptides of 460 and 475 amino acids, respectively. These genes were expressed differentially in saffron tissues. UGTCs2 was mainly expressed in fully developed stigmas, whereas UGTCs3 was mainly expressed in stamens. The UGTCs2 transcript was not detected in the stigma tissue of a Crocus species that does not synthesize crocin, while UGTCs3 and other structural genes for carotenoid biosynthesis were expressed in the stigma of all tested Crocus species. To identify the biochemical function of UGTCs2, the isolated cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The recombinant protein UGTCs2 had glucosylation activity against crocetin, crocetin beta-D-glucosyl ester and crocetin beta-D-gentibiosyl ester. These results might suggest that the isolated clone UGTCs2 codes for a saffron crocetin GTase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Implications of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in apocarotenoid formation during the stigma development of Crocus sativus and its closer relatives.

Crocus sativus is a triploid sterile plant characterized by its long red stigmas, which produce and store significant quantities of the apocarotenoids crocetin and crocin, formed from the oxidative cleavage of zeaxanthin. Here, we investigate the accumulation and the molecular mechanisms that regulate the synthesis of these apocarotenoids during stigma development in C. sativus. We cloned the cDNAs for phytoene synthase, lycopene-beta-cyclase, and beta-ring hydroxylase from C. sativus. With the transition of yellow undeveloped to red fully developed stigmas, an accumulation of zeaxanthin was observed, accompanying the expression of CsPSY, phytoene desaturase, and CsLYCb, and the massive accumulation of CsBCH and CsZCD transcripts. We analyzed the expression of these two transcripts in relation to zeaxanthin and apocarotenoid accumulation in other Crocus species. We observed that only the relative levels of zeaxanthin in the stigma of each cultivar were correlated with the level of CsBCH transcripts. By contrast, the expression levels of CsZCD were not mirrored by changes in the apocarotenoid content, suggesting that the reaction catalyzed by the CsBCH enzyme could be the limiting step in the formation of saffron apocarotenoids in the stigma tissue. Phylogenetic analysis of the CsBCH intron sequences allowed us to determine the relationships among 19 Crocus species and to identify the closely related diploids of C. sativus. In addition, we examined the levels of the carotenoid and apocarotenoid biosynthetic genes in the triploid C. sativus and its closer relatives to determine whether the quantities of these specific mRNAs were additive or not in C. sativus. Transcript levels in saffron were clearly higher and nonadditive, suggesting that, in the triploid gene, regulatory interactions that produce novel effects on carotenoid biosynthesis genes are involved.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Oxidative remodeling of chromoplast carotenoids: identification of the carotenoid dioxygenase CsCCD and CsZCD genes involved in Crocus secondary metabolite biogenesis.

The accumulation of three major carotenoid derivatives-crocetin glycosides, picrocrocin, and safranal-is in large part responsible for the color, bitter taste, and aroma of saffron, which is obtained from the dried styles of Crocus. We have identified and functionally characterized the Crocus zeaxanthin 7,8(7',8')-cleavage dioxygenase gene (CsZCD), which codes for a chromoplast enzyme that initiates the biogenesis of these derivatives. The Crocus carotenoid 9,10(9',10')-cleavage dioxygenase gene (CsCCD) also has been cloned, and the comparison of substrate specificities between these two enzymes has shown that the CsCCD enzyme acts on a broader range of precursors. CsZCD expression is restricted to the style branch tissues and is enhanced under dehydration stress, whereas CsCCD is expressed constitutively in flower and leaf tissues irrespective of dehydration stress. Electron microscopy revealed that the accumulation of saffron metabolites is accompanied by the differentiation of amyloplasts and chromoplasts and by interactions between chromoplasts and the vacuole. Our data suggest that a stepwise sequence exists that involves the oxidative cleavage of zeaxanthin in chromoplasts followed by the sequestration of modified water-soluble derivatives into the central vacuole.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

Bacterial endophytes of the wildflower Crocus albiflorus analyzed by characterization of isolates and by a cultivation-independent approach.

The presence and taxonomy of endophytic bacteria of the entire aerial parts of crocus (Crocus albiflorus), a wildflower native in the Alps, were investigated. A combination of plating of plant macerates, isolation and sequence identification of isolates, and direct 16S rDNA PCR amplification followed by whole-community fingerprinting (T-RFLP) and by construction of a bacterial clone library was used. The results clearly indicated that a wide range of bacteria from diverse phylogenetic affiliation, mainly gamma-Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, live in association with plants of C. albiflorus. The community composition of the culturable component of the microflora was remarkably different from that of the clone library. Only three bacterial divisions were found in the culture collection, which represented 17 phylotypes, whereas six divisions were identified in the clonal analysis comprising 38 phylotypes. The predominant group in the culture collection was the low G+C Gram-positive group, whereas in the clone library, the gamma-Proteobacteria predominated. Interestingly, the most prominent bacterium within the uncultured bacterial community was a pseudo monad closely related to a cold-tolerant Pseudomonas marginalis strain. The results suggest that Crocus supports a diverse bacterial microflora resembling the microbial communities that have been described for other plants and containing species that have not been described in association with plants.

Crocus↗

PubMed2004

Acute poisoning with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.).

INTRODUCTION: Colchicum autumnale, commonly known as the autumn crocus or meadow saffron, contains the antimitotic colchicine, which binds to tubulin and prevents it forming microtubules that are part of the cytoskeleton in all cells. CASE REPORT: A 71-year-old woman ate a plant she thought to be wild garlic (Allium ursinum). Ten hours later she arrived at the emergency department complaining of nausea, vomiting and watery diarrhea. Ingestion of a poisonous plant was suspected and she was treated with gastric lavage, oral activated charcoal and an infusion of normal saline. Toxicology analysis with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed colchicine in the patient's gastric lavage, blood (5 microg/l) and urine (30 microg/l). She developed arrhythmias, liver failure, pancreatitis, ileus, and bone marrow suppression with pancytopenia. Alopecia began in the third week. Treatment was supportive only. Five months later she had no clinical or laboratory signs of poisoning. DISCUSSION: The patient mistakenly ingested autumn crocus instead of wild garlic because of their great similarity. Colchicine primarily blocks mitosis in tissues with rapid cell turnover; this results in gastroenterocolitis in the first phase of colchicine poisoning, bone marrow hypoplasia with pancytopenia in the second and alopecia in the third, all of which were present in our patient. Colchicine toxicity in tissues without rapid cell turnover caused arrhythmias, acute liver failure and pancreatitis. CONCLUSION: Colchicine poisoning can result in gastroenterocolitis followed by multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. In unexplained gastroenterocolitis after ingestion of wild plants as a salad or spice, especially when wild garlic is mentioned, we should always consider autumn crocus. Diagnosis could be confirmed only by toxicology analyses. Management of colchicine poisoning is restricted to supportive therapy.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Reduced MR acquisition time with the CROCUS technique.

A technique to reduce magnetic resonance (MR) image acquisition time by approximately 50% is introduced. The conjugate reconstruction by off-center under-sampling (CROCUS) method samples only every other phase-encoded line in raw data space and uses the conjugate symmetry of the data to reconstruct a real image. If acquisition and image reconstruction were done in the simplest manner, this under-sampling would produce unacceptable image aliasing. However, if the phase-encoded lines are offset from the origin, the assumption of conjugate symmetry allows the image to be calculated without aliasing. Unfortunately, information from all practical MR systems contain phase-shift errors that produce deviations from conjugate symmetry. The CROCUS method incorporates a correction technique, similar to that used in other half-Fourier methods, which uses low-resolution phase-shift information obtained from a few extra lines of phase-encoded data. This paper provides a theoretical derivation of the reconstruction algorithm and correction technique and illustrates the results. Excellent image quality is obtained with no loss of spatial resolution. Image signal-to-noise ratio is reduced by a factor of approximately 1.4 because of the reduced acquisition time. When the imaging circumstances are such that a high signal level is available, CROCUS imaging can be an effective means of reducing imaging time.

Humans↗

PubMed1999

Supplementary report on experimental autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.) poisoning in cattle: morphological evidence of apoptosis.

Previously we reported that tissue destruction characterized by the presence of karyopyknotic, karyorrhectic and mitotically arrested cells was seen in alimentary epithelial cells and lymphocytes in the lymphoid and hemopoietic systems of cattle experimentally administered with autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale L.). This report deals with the mechanism of acute cellular injury following experimental autumn crocus poisoning in cattle as demonstrated by the in situ DNA strand break analysis and electron microscopy. The analyses revealed that cellular injury caused by autumn crocus was closely associated with apoptosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Radical scavenging activity of Crocus sativus L. extract and its bioactive constituents.

Radical scavenging activity is involved in aging processes, antiinflammatory, anticancer and wound healing activity. Hence, in the present study the DPPH radical scavenging activity of a natural product that possesses biological properties, an extract of Crocus sativus L. (saffron), grown in Crocos, Kozani (Greece), and some of its bioactive constituents (crocin, safranal) was studied. It was shown that a methanol extract of Crocus sativus exhibited high antioxidant activity, although it contains several active and inactive constituents. In trying to approximate a structure-activity relationship, two bioactive constituents of saffron extract were tested, namely crocin and safranal. Crocin showed high radical scavenging activity (50% and 65% for 500 and 1,000 ppm solution in methanol, respectively), followed by safranal (34% for 500 ppm solution). All the tested samples showed high radical scavenging activity, probably due to the ability to donate a hydrogen atom to the DPPH radical.Thus, saffron grown in Greece can be used promisingly in functional foods, drinks with antioxidant activity, in pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations for their antioxidant activity and probably for their antiaging activity. Saffron can also be used internally in the form of powder or other pharmacotechnical formulae as a food supplement with antioxidant properties.

Carotenoids↗

PubMed2005

Hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus L. versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot trial.

Depressive disorders are very common in clinical practice, with approximately 11.3 of all adults afflicted during any a year. Saffron is the world's most expensive spice and apart from its traditional value as a food additive, recent studies indicate several therapeutic effects for saffron. It is used for depression in Persian traditional medicine. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus (stigma) with fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week double-blind, randomized trial. Forty adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM-IV and with mild to moderate depression participated in the trial. In this double-blind, single-center trial and randomized trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive capsules of saffron 30 mg/day (BD) (Group 1) and capsule of fluoxetine 20 mg/day (BD) (Group 2) for a 6-week study. Saffron at this dose was found to be effective similar to fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression (F = 0.13, d.f. = 1, P = 0.71). There were no significant differences in the two groups in terms of observed side effects. The results of this study indicate the efficacy of Crocus sativus in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. A large-scale trial is justified.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of Crocus sativus L. stigma and petal extracts in mice.

BACKGROUND: Crocus sativus L. (saffron) is used in folk medicine, for example as an antiedematogenic agent. We aimed to evaluate the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of saffron extracts in mice. RESULTS: We used aqueous and ethanolic maceration extracts of Crocus sativus L. stigma and petals. Antinociceptive activity was examined using the hot plate and writhing tests. The effect of extracts against acute inflammation was studied using xylene induced ear edema in mice. The activity of the extracts against chronic inflammation was assessed by formalin-induced edema in the rat paw. In the hot plate tests, intraperitoneal injection of both extracts showed no significant antinociceptive activity in mice. The extracts exhibited antinociceptive activity against acetic acid induced writhing. Naloxone partially blocked only the antinociceptive activity of the stigma aqueous extract. Only the stigma extracts showed weak to moderate effect against acute inflammation. In chronic inflammation, both aqueous and ethanolic stigma extracts, as well as ethanolic petal extract, exerted anti-inflammatory effects. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of saffron stigma and petal have an antinociceptive effect, as well as acute and/or chronic anti-inflammatory activity.

Analgesics↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a pilot double-blind randomized trial [ISRCTN45683816].

BACKGROUND: The morbidity and mortality associated with depression are considerable and continue to increase. Depression currently ranks fourth among the major causes of disability worldwide, after lower respiratory infections, prenatal conditions, and HIV/AIDS. Crocus sativus L. is used to treat depression. Many medicinal plants textbooks refer to this indication whereas there is no evidence-based document. Our objective was to compare the efficacy of stigmas of Crocus sativus (saffron) with imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression in a 6-week pilot double-blind randomized trial. METHODS: Thirty adult outpatients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition for major depression based on the structured clinical interview for DSM IV participated in the trial. Patients have a baseline Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of at least 18. In this double-blind, single-center trial, patients were randomly assigned to receive capsule of saffron 30 mg/day (TDS) (Group 1) and capsule of imipramine 100 mg/day (TDS) (Group 2) for a 6-week study. RESULTS: Saffron at this dose was found to be effective similar to imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression (F = 2.91, d.f. = 1, P = 0.09). In the imipramine group anticholinergic effects such as dry mouth and also sedation were observed more often that was predictable. CONCLUSION: The main overall finding from this study is that saffron may be of therapeutic benefit in the treatment of mild to moderate depression. To the best of our knowledge this is the first clinical trial that supports this indication for saffron. A large-scale trial with placebo control is warranted.

Adult↗