Saffron Safranal

Crocus sativus (Saffron, Safranal). Saffron (Crocus sativus) and its active metabolite safranal display neuropharmacological effects with anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, and neuroprotective activity. Safranal decreases quinolinic acid-induced lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage, and prevents the decrease of hippocampal thiol redox and antioxidant status produced by quinolinic acid [242],... 

Greek saffron Picrocrocin, safranal, crocins, kaempferol diglucoside Me0H/H20 A MeOH B H20 with AcOH 250, 308, 440 nm/ ESI (+) ESI interface 22... 

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].

N.A. Crocine glycosides, beta-carotene, phytoene, phytofluene, pinene, safranal, cineole.100-107 Saffron stomachic, antispasmodic, emmenagogue properties. 

A third type of alkali-sensitive glycoside was described by Kuhn and Lowin 1941.13 Picrocrocin [(—)-4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-l-cyclohexene-l-carboxaldehyde-(4 — 1) /3-D-glucopyranoside] (VIII), the bitter principle of saffron, was observed to decompose in aqueous alkali with the formation of D-glucose and the unsaturated aglucon safranal (2,6,6-tri-... 

Saffron Crocus sativus Safranal (89), 3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one (90) 95,101... 

In Group 7 the a- and P-isomers of santalyl acetate (Elavis 09.034, FEMA 3007) are mentioned. These compounds have a characteristic sandalwood-like odour and a bitter-sweet taste. Additional compounds in this group are perilla aldehyde (Flavis 05.117, FEMA 3557) with fatty, spicy notes and safranal (Flavis 05.104, FEMA 3389) with a characteristic saffron-like odour and taste. 

D. Semiond, S. Dautraix, M. Desage, R. Majdalani, H. Casablanca, J.L. Brazier (1996) Identification and isotopic analysis of safranal from supercritical fluid extraction and alcoholic extracts of saffron. Anal. Lett. 22, 1027-1039... 

Crocins (II) that are glycosyl esters of crocetin (I) are the major components of saffron. Crocins (trans and cis isomers) belong to the family of carotenoids that are water-soluble. Safranal (III), a monoterpene aldehyde and picrocrocin (IV) precursor of safranal are also main components. 

Sujata et al [4] have also reported the use of SE-30 and Carbowax columns for gas chromatographic analysis of the saffron volatile constituents. Isothermal run with SE-30 column resolved safranal into a sharp single peak at a retention time of 3.6 min. 

Catwallander et al [9] and Tarantilis and Polissiou [7] have reported, from the analysis of saffron volatiles, a minor component 2-hydroxy-4,4,6-trimethyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-l-one that is considered the most powerful aroma constituent of saffron followed by safranal. 

Responsible for the flavor of saffron, as it has been mentioned, is the bitter tasting glycoside picrocrocin, and its degradation product, safranal. 

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. 

As Pfander and Schurtenberger have reported [28] the absence of C20-hydrocarbon precursors of crocetin in saffron supports a degradation pathway for the biosynthesis of crocetin by the occurrence of picrocrocin and safranal. 

Tissue culture of saffron including somatic embryogenesis and shoot regeneration has been first reported by George et al [105], Induction of crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin and safranal synthesis in callus cultures of saffron-Oocws sativus L has been reported by Visvanath et al [106]. Callus cultures were obtained from floral buds on Murashige and Skoog s medium supplemented with 3% sucrose, 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid... 

SAFFRON Fr.owSR Alc. POISSON 1391 givos for safran de Venus the sigi Is... 

Volatile coiiipononts of saffron. Typical total ion chromatograms of SDE and DE volatile extracts of saffron arc shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. Quantitative results are presented in Table I. A total of 46 core volatile components were idemified. Of these, 30 compounds were found common to both SDH and DE extracts. Safranal (2,6,6-irimethyl-l,3-cyclohexadicne-l-earboxaldchyde, no. 31) was the most abundant volatile component, followed by isophorone (3,5,5-trimethyl-2-cyc ohcxen-l-onc, no. 26), and 2,6,6-trimethyl-2-cyclohexenc-1,4-dione (no. 36), The... 

Saffron, production, 66 Saffron flavor characterization using aroma extract dilution analysis aroma-active components, 74-78 detection of aroma-active component using OC-olfactometry, 67 experimental procedure, 67-68 volatile components, 68-74 Safranal, role in flavor, 66-78 Scmivolatile components in powdered turmeric, characterization using direct thermal extraction GC-MS, 80-96 Shallot, contribution of nonvolatile sulfur-containing flavor precursors to flavor, 53-63... 

Hosseinzadeh H, Ghenaati J (2006) Evaluation of the antitussive effect of stigma and petals of saffron (Crocus sativus) and its components, safranal and crocin in guinea pigs. Fitoterapia 77 446 48... 

Escribano, J. et al, Crocin, safranal and picrocrocin from saffron Crocus sativus L.) inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in vitro. Cancer Lett., 100, 23, 1996. 

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-... 

---