Zahra Khorasanchi1, Mojtaba Shafiee1, Farnoush Kermanshahi1, Majid Khazaei2, Mikhail Ryzhikov3, Mohammad Reza Parizadeh4, Behnoush Kermanshahi5, Gordon A Ferns6, Amir Avan7, Seyed Mahdi Hassanian8. 1. Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 2. Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 3. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, St. Louis University, School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA. 4. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 5. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. 6. Brighton & Sussex Medical School, Division of Medical Education, Falmer, Brighton, Sussex BN1 9PH, UK. 7. Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Department of Modern Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: AvanA@mums.ac.ir. 8. Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran; Metabolic Syndrome Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Electronic address: hasanianmehrm@mums.ac.ir.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Saffron, the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., is a highly valued agricultural product that is used mainly as a food coloring and flavoring agent. Three main secondary metabolites of Crocus sativus including crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal are responsible for the color, the bitter taste and for the odor and aroma, respectively. As a component of traditional medicine, saffron has been utilized as a medicinal herb for treating various ailments including cramps, asthma, liver disease, menstruation disorders, pain, and in the pathogenesis of cancer. HYPOTHESIS/ PURPOSE: To summarize the recent published data on the chemo-preventive properties of Crocus sativus in cancer treatment. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a non-systematic review of the literature. METHODS: A search of English-language literature was performed using Scopus, EMBASE and PubMed. We applied no restriction in time. Articles were searched using the keywords "Lung", "breast", "skin", "prostate", "leukemia", "cancer", "neoplasm", "tumor", "malignancy", "saffron", "crocus sativus", "crocin", "crocetin", "picrocrocin", and "safranal". RESULTS: Saffron has been reported to exert anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects in various types of cancer including lung cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, skin cancer and prostate cancer. This appears to be via various mechanisms including: the induction of apoptosis, arresting cell cycle progression, suppressing expression of matrix metalloproteinase, modulatory effects on some phase II detoxifying enzymes and decreasing expression of inflammatory molecules are potential mechanisms of saffron-induced anticancer effects. CONCLUSION: Saffron possesses potent anti-tumor properties and represents an efficacious and safe treatment.
BACKGROUND: Saffron, the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., is a highly valued agricultural product that is used mainly as a food coloring and flavoring agent. Three main secondary metabolites of Crocus sativus including crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal are responsible for the color, the bitter taste and for the odor and aroma, respectively. As a component of traditional medicine, saffron has been utilized as a medicinal herb for treating various ailments including cramps, asthma, liver disease, menstruation disorders, pain, and in the pathogenesis of cancer. HYPOTHESIS/ PURPOSE: To summarize the recent published data on the chemo-preventive properties of Crocus sativus in cancer treatment. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a non-systematic review of the literature. METHODS: A search of English-language literature was performed using Scopus, EMBASE and PubMed. We applied no restriction in time. Articles were searched using the keywords "Lung", "breast", "skin", "prostate", "leukemia", "cancer", "neoplasm", "tumor", "malignancy", "saffron", "crocus sativus", "crocin", "crocetin", "picrocrocin", and "safranal". RESULTS: Saffron has been reported to exert anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects in various types of cancer including lung cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, skin cancer and prostate cancer. This appears to be via various mechanisms including: the induction of apoptosis, arresting cell cycle progression, suppressing expression of matrix metalloproteinase, modulatory effects on some phase II detoxifying enzymes and decreasing expression of inflammatory molecules are potential mechanisms of saffron-induced anticancer effects. CONCLUSION: Saffron possesses potent anti-tumor properties and represents an efficacious and safe treatment.
Authors: Azza A Attia; Heba S Ramdan; Rasha A Al-Eisa; Bassant O A Adle Fadle; Nahla S El-Shenawy Journal: Molecules Date: 2021-05-20 Impact factor: 4.411
Authors: Mudasir A Mir; Shabir Ahmad Ganai; Sheikh Mansoor; Sumira Jan; P Mani; Khalid Z Masoodi; Henna Amin; Muneeb U Rehman; Parvaiz Ahmad Journal: Saudi J Biol Sci Date: 2020-01-27 Impact factor: 4.219