Crocus Crocetin, Crocin

Crocus sativus petals Crocin, crocetin (saffron) Food colouring... 

Saffron, an extract of flowers of Crocus sativus, contains the water-soluble pigment crocin the digentiobioside of apocarotenic acid, crocetin zeaxanthin, a P-carotene and characteristic flavoring compounds. The yellow color of this pigment is attractive in beverages, cakes, and other bakery products. However, use of this colorant is restricted by its high price. 

Crocus Crod stigma contains crocetin, a 8,8 -diapocarotenedioic acid. The bright yellow digentiobiosyl ester crocin is water soluble. 

In vitro cytotoxic analysis of the main saffron compounds (crocins, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal) using HeLa (human cervical epitheliod cancer) cells was carried out by Escribano et al [64]. It was found that in terms of LD50 values (dose inducing 50% cell growth inhibition on these cells) safranal has 0.8mM, crocin and picrocrocin 3mM respectively. Furthermore, Escribano et al [65] have also isolated from corms of Crocus sativus a glycoconjugate with cytotoxic activity as well. Experiments with carotenoids from Crocus sativus in HL60 cells were conducted by Tarantilis et al [66] where inhibition and induction of differentiation of these cells was studied. 

Inhibition of growth and induction of differentiation of promyelocytic Leukemia HL60 by the carotenoids of Crocus sativus has been studied by Tarantilis et al [19]. The IC50 values found, were 0,8 muM for dimethyl crocetin, 2 muM for crocetin and crocin respectively, and 5 muM induction of differentiation of HL60 cells. 

Saffron (from Arabic zafaran=to be yellow). The dried, aromatic-smelling flowerheads of the saffron plant Crocus sativus, Iridaceae), indigenous to southern Europe, which contain the yellow pigment crocin (see crocetin) and the bitter principle picrocrocin (saffron bitter, see safranal). Characteristic flavor com-... 

Definition Dried stigmata of Crocus sativus, contg. glycoside picrocrocin, coloring principles crocin and crocetin... 

The coloring principle of saffron, crocin, which was isolated from the hila of Crocus salivas, is the ester of a carotenoid pigment (crocetin), and has the structure 12) ... 

Carotinoid Crocins Crocetin From Crocus Strasbur MS (1966) Saffron ... 

Crocetin (329) occurs in the stigma of saffron flowers Crocus sativd) together with crocin, the bis(glycoside) with gentiobiose of crocetin. It is used as a yellow color in foods, in the form of intact stigma rather than as an extracted dye. 

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