Saffron
Enjoy saffron
(Crocus sativus)
True saffron
(Iridaceae)
What does saffron do?
Saffron eases liver pains from PLD. It increases the metabolism of estrogen throughout the liver. Saffron helps maintain the integrity of the walls of the blood vessels so they do not burst as easily. Saffron stimulates the body to lay down blood vessels around any blockage or bursting. Cysts will bleed if blood pressure is elevated; or if the kidneys or the liver is enlarged with numerous cysts; or if there is some trauma to cystic organs.
1. Ease the pain from a cystic liver or cystic kidneys
2. Lowers blood pressure
3. Diminishes spontaneous bursting of tiny capillaries
4. Helps diminish bursting cysts
5. Stimulates the body to lay down new blood vessels
6. Protects the integrity of DNA
7. Helps a cystic liver by increasing the metabolism of estrogen through the liver
8. Aphrodisiac effect
9. Anti convulsive
10. Helps depression
11. Protects against kidney stones
12. ↓ inflammation
The intense orange color of saffron hints of its medicinal nature. It is particularly rich in carotenoids,
antioxidants that protect the body from free radical damage. Anything that protects the integrity of DNA
(as saffron does), helps diminish the two hit
phenomenon from continuing to propagate increasing cysts throughout our organs
Some Saffron Articles
In 1999, Spanish scientists reported that crocin, one of the carotenoids isolated from saffron, increased the survival time and decreased the growth of colon cancer in female rats, without, however, having any significant effects on the tumors in male animals.
References for the above:
1. Abdullaev FI, Frenkel, G.D. Effect of saffron on cell colony formation and cellular nucleic acid
and protein synthesis. BioFactors, 3(3): 201 204, 1992a.
2. Abdullaev FI, Frenkel G.D. The effect of saffron on intracellular DNA, RNA and protein
synthesis in malignant and non-malignant human cells. BioFactors, 4(1): 43 45, 1992b.
3. Abdullaev, F. Cancer chemopreventive and tumoricidal properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L.).
Exp Biology and Medicine, Vol. 227(1): 20 25, 2002.
4. Abdullaev FI, Cabalerro-Ortega H, Riveron-Negrete L, Pereda-Miranda R, Rivera-Luna R, Hernandez
JM, Perez-Lopez I, Espinosa-Aguirre JJ. Evaluacion in vitro del potencial quimiopreventivi del azafran.
Revista de Investigacion Clinica, 54(5): 430-436, 2003.
5. Abdullaev FI, Riveron-Negrete L, Cabalerro-Ortega H, Hernandez JM, Perez-Lopez I, Pereda-Miranda R,
Espinosa-Aguirre JJ. Use of in vitro assays to assess the antigenotoxic and cytotoxic effects of saffron
(Crocus sativus L.) Toxicology In Vitro, 17: 731-736, 2003b.
6. Duke, JA. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 1985.
7. el Daly ES. Protective effect of cysteine and vitamin E, Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts
on cisplatin-induced toxicity in rats. Journal de Pharmacie de Belgique, 53(2): 93 95, 1998.
8. Escribano , Alonso GL, Coca-Prados M, and Fernandez JA. Crocin, safranal and picrocrocin from
saffron (Crocus sativus L,) inhibit growth of human cancer cells in vitro. Cancer Letters, 100:23-30, 1996.
9. Martinez, Mercedes. Investigan el extracto de azafrán por su efecto anticarcinógeno. Diario Medico,
November 10, 2003. Search: diariomedico.com.
10. Nair SC, Salomi MJ, Pannikar. B, Pannikar KR. Modulatory effects of the extracts of saffron
and Nigela sativa against cisplatinum induced toxicity in mice. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 31:75 83, 1991(a).
11. Nair SC, Pannikar B, Pannikar KR. Antitumour activity of saffron (Crocus sativus). Cancer Letters, 57(2): 109 114, 1991(b).
12. Nair SC, Salomi MJ, Varghese CD, Pannikar B, Pannikar KR. Effect of saffron on thymocyte proliferation,
intracellular gluthathione levels and its antitumor activity. BioFactors, 4(1): 51 54,1992.
13. Riverón-Negrete L, et al. The combination of natural and synthetic agents: a new pharmacological
approach in cancer chemoprevention. Procedures of the Western Pharmacology Society, 45:74-75, 2002.
14. Tarantilis PA, Morjani H, Polissiou M, and Manfait M. Inhibition of growth and induction of
differentiation promyclocytic leukemia (HL-60) by carotenoids from Crocus sativus L. Anticancer Res, 14: 1913-1918, 1994.
15. Garcia-Olmo DC, Riese HH, Escribano J, Ontañon J, Fernandez JA, Atienzar M, Garcia-Olmo D. Effects of long-term
treatment of colon adenocarcinoma with crocin, a carotenoid from saffron (Crocus sativus: an experimental study
in the rats. Nutrition and Cancer, 35(2): 120 126, 1999.
Indian authors reported that giving saffron by mouth to lab animals significantly slowed the growth of two different kinds of cancer cells (DLA and S-180). The authors suggested that the increased levels of carotenes and Vitamin A may have accounted for this anticancer effect.
Saffron is derived from the Arabic word za'faran meaning yellow. It has been used as an anti-depressant. Saffron extracts have been shown to significantly prolong (almost by three-fold-the) life spans of mice undergoing experimental chemotherapy with the toxic anticancer drug, cisplatin.
When saffron is combined with two other substances, amino acid cysteine and the antioxidant vitamin E, it had a protective effect against the toxicity of cisplatin. Together, these three protective agents significantly reduced blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and blood glucose levels, as well as reduced many other harmful chemical changes in the body (el Daly, 1998)
Articles may be found in the pulldown menu below:
Riboflavine and thiamine contained in Saffron 1953
Saffron effects Uterus and estrus cycle 1964
Saffron both platelet aggregation inducer and inhibitor 1990
Saffron anti-tumor activity
Saffron lowers blood pressure 2003
Curcurmin + saffron) coupled with garlic has an increased anti cancer activity 2004
Saffron protect platelets from aggregation 2005
Crocetin (saffron) protects Parkinson's in rat model 2005
Saffron protects against genetic damage 2006
DNA Saffron 2007
Saffron anti proliferation effects on cancer cells 2007
Protective Effect of Crocus sativus Stigma Extract Crocin (trans-crocin 4) on DNA Damage in Mice Organs. 2008
One study revealed that crocetin is helpful in preventing Parkinson's Disease
Anticonvulsant effects of crocus sativus in mice.
Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: A pilot double-blind randomized trial.
Prevents Kidney Stones in Rats.
Collecting Saffron
Saffron is collected from Crocus sativus, originated in the Middle Eastern region of the Eurasian continent, from Greece to Persia (Iran). The plant does not propagate by seeds; the underground portion, corms (also called bulbs), divide to produce new plants. Flowers emerge in autumn; the outstanding feature of the lilac to mauve colored flower is its three stigmas 25-30 mm long, which droop over the petals: that is what is collected as saffron. There are also three yellow stamens, which lack the active compounds and are not collected. The stigma is attached to a style, which has little of the active components and is only included with the lower grades of saffron. A daily tea infusion is helpful for relieving liver pain.Where To Purchase Saffron?
Through the internet at Vanilla Saffron Imports in San Francisco, California. This is a site that imports excellent saffron from Iran or Spain it supplies most restaurants and their chefs with saffron. One can purchase a half ounce in a tin, This half ounce lasts about 2-3 months. 1 ounce = 28.3495231 grams. One can also try amazon and ebay.