Potential Healthy Effects of Saffron Spice (Crocus sativus L. Stigmas) Consumption

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), has been used since ancient ages in food for its flavouring, aromatic and colouring properties but also for its biomedical activity. In the past years many efforts have been made in order to demonstrate scientifically the healthy effects attributed to saffron consumption since Dioscorides’ time. More than 400 papers have been published in the last decade related to antioxidant properties, cancer, neuronal injury and sedative effect, among others. It has been found that its antioxidant activity is the major responsible for many of the properties that helps to prevent or diminish some diseases. But the majority of these research use animals, making difficult to understand the human application. In this review, a first attempt to translate animal doses to human intake when saffron is included on the diet is carried out, in order to make an estimation of the potential healthy effects in humans. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________