Saffron or Crocus sativus L. (C. sativus) has been widely used as a medicinal plant to promote human health, especially in Asia. The main components of saffron are crocin, picrocrocin and safranal. The median lethal doses (LD50) of C. sativus are 200 mg/ml and 20.7 g/kg in vitro and in animal studies, respectively. Saffron has been suggested to be effective in the treatment of a wide range of d...

A 49-year-old woman presented with an eczematous reaction on her hands that which had appeared 5 days previously. To treat her wrist sprain, she had applied hot compresses with a herbal water decoction of multi-ingredient formulations on her hands for half an hour, and bathed her hands in this decoction for another 20min. After 1 day, her hands became erythematous, with burning and itching (Fig...

saffron, the dried red-orange stigmas of crocus sativus l, has been known as a flavoring agent, food coloring and traditional herbal medicine. pharmacological effects of saffron are mainly attributed to crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal. these components especially crocin, have significant effects including antidepressant and anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-cancer and other therapeutic...

The effects of aqueous-ethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus (Iridaceae) on muscarinic receptors were examined on tracheal chains of guinea pigs. The effects of three concentrations of aqueous-ethanolic extract, safranal, atropine and saline on muscarinic receptors were tested (n=8). The EC50 (effective concentration of methacoline causing 50% of maximum response) obtained in the presence of atr...

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...

Tissue culture is useful method for large scale production of healthy corms and also avenues for creating variability through in vitro use of mutagens and polyploidizing agents. Induction of callus and subsequent regeneration of plants is suggested as possible means of introducing new variation. In vitro micropopagation for product formation its utility is increasing the amount of crocin, picro...