Saffron extract

Saffron extract widely used at typical levels of 0.1 to 0.2% (weight for weight) to impart characteristic flavor and heat-stable yellow color does not have E number in EU falls into natural extract category... 

Fig. 2.22. Chromatograms of methanohwater (50 per cent, v/v) saffron extracts from Mancha (a), Rio (b) and Sierra (c) types, simultaneously recorded at 250, 310 and 440 nm, including 4-nitroaniline as internal standard. The mobile and stationary phases were a linear gradient of methanol-water from 20 to 70 per cent in 50min, and an ODS column, respectively. The flowrate was lml/min, temperature 30°C and sample size 50/jl. The following compounds are present picrocrocin (1), HTCC (2), 3-entiobiosile-kaempferol (3), a-crocin (4), crocin 2 (5), crocin 3 (6), safranal (7), crocin 4 (8), crocin 5 (9), crocin 6(10) and internal standard (I>S.). Reprinted with permission from R Lozano et al. [47].

Crocus sativus L., commonly known as saffron, is used in folk medicine as an antispasmodic, eupeptic, gingival sedative, anticatarrhal, nerve sedative, carminative, diaphoretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, aphrodisiac, and emmenagogue. Furthermore, modem pharmacological studies have demonstrated that saffron extract or its active constituents have antitumor effects, radical scavenger properties, and hypolipemic effects (see Rios et al., 1996). 

Saffron extract contains many carotenoids such as crocetin, crocetin di-glucose ester, crocetin gentiobiose glucose ester, and crocin (crocetin di-gentiobiose ester), whose chemical structures are shown in Figure 58.1. These carotenoids scavenge free radicals, especially superoxide anions, and so may protect cells from oxidative stress. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that these carotenoids are useful in sperm cryoconservation and in protecting heptocytes from toxins. 

Abe, K. and Saito, H., Effects of saffron extract and its constituent crocin on learning behavior and long-term potentiation, Phytother. Res., 14, 149-152, 2000. 

RESINA AURI — is the Saffron extracted from Gold. 

Figure 9.8 shows the separation of very polar compounds on silica. The carotenoid crocetin, which is the most nonpolar compound and is eluted hrst, and its mono- and diglycosyl esters are some of the products isolated from saffron extract. Strictly... 

Figure 9.8 Separation of purified saffron extract [reproduced with permission from H. Pfander and M. Rychener, J. Chromatogr., 234, 443 (1982)]. Conditions column, 25cm x 4.6mm i.d. stationary phase, LiChrosorb SI 60, 7ixm mobile phase, 0.6ml min ethyl acetate-isopropanol-water (56 34 10) visible-range detector 440 nm.

Recent reports have shown that saffron extracts were used for dyeing cotton and wool fibbers [89-92]. As it has been found, both crude methanol or aqueous extracts of saffron and the isolated crocin fraction give satisfactory results in terms of color fastness and color brightness. 

Crocin or saffron extracts together with other natural pigments such as berberine, azulen, curcumin, betanin, etc have been used as a hair dye [93]. In a US Patent [94] a scalp treatment composition is described for scalp and hair health and growth containing saffron, among the other plant extracts. 

The biological effects and uses of saffron, extracts of saffron and its specific constituents show that the plant must achieve more attention from Scientists as a real "active plant". Biotechnological preparation of saffron and its active metabolites will bring more light to the above investigations and establish Crocus sativus as a "multipurpose" plant. 

Incubation of HeLa cells for 3h with a concentrated extract of saffron prepared from the flowers of Crocus sativus resulted in significant inhibition of colony formation and cellular nucleic acid synthesis. In another study, treatment of HeLa (cervical epithelioid carcinoma) cells with the saffron extract in combination with selenite increased the level of inhibition of colony formation and nucleic acid synthesis in comparison with cells that were treated with each of these agents alone. ... 

In mice orally administered 100 mg/kg daily of a saffron extract on days 6 to 15 of pregnancy, a delay in bone ossification in the hip, metatarsus, metacarpus, fingers, and sternum was observed in fetuses excised on the 18th day of pregnancy Decreased body weight of the fetuses, with no major congenital malformations, was observed (Golalipoor et al. 2006,2008). 

Synonyms Crocus sativus Crocus sativus extract Saffron crocus extract Saffron crocus flowers extract Saffron extract... 

Saffron extract. See Saffron crocus (Crocus sativus) extract... 

Saffron extract, 157 Styrene oligomers, 210 Sugar alcohols, 189 Sugars, 189 Surfactants, 179, 200... 

A number of studies suggest that saffron extracts have in vitro anticancer activity, limiting the growth of experimentally induced cancers by inhibiting cellular nucleic acid synthesis and by other DNA-mediated mechanisms. The anticancer and cancer che-mopreventive activities of saffron have been reviewed. ... 

Saffron extracts and their crocin compounds inhibit amyloid-beta protein deposition and improve learning and memory functions in mice which suggests a possible benefit in the management of Alzheimer s disease and other memory impairment conditions.This effect may be attributed to the antioxidant/ free radical scavenging activity frequently reported for saffron and its major constitu-... 

Saffron and saffron extract (type not specified) are used in alcoholic (e.g., bitters and... 

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