ISHS Acta Horticulturae 650: I International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology
ANTITUMOR EFFECT OF SAFFRON (CROCUS SATIVUS L.): OVERVIEW AND PERSPECTIVES |
| Author: | F.I. Abdullaev |
| Keywords: | cancer, chemoprevention, cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, human normal and malignant cells, saffron |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.650.60 |
| Abstract:
From ancient times, saffron dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L. is widely used as a drug against different human diseases. In the beginning of 1990īs scientific literature reported for the first time the antitumor activity of saffron. During the last decade different laboratories of the world (including ours) have accumulated sufficient scientific evidence to suggest that saffron, and its main ingredients, can inhibit the process of carcinogenesis in vivo and in vitro effectively. The aim of this work has been to summarize and discuss the scientific results obtained in our laboratory, together with data collected from the literature, about the antitumor and anticarcinogenic activities of saffron and its main ingredients, and the possible molecular mechanism of these actions. Saffron and its carotenoid ingredients are chemopreventive in cultivate human malignant cells and animal models, inhibiting cell growth. This could explain how they reduce outgrowth of tumor cells in vivo. It has been shown that those malignant cells are more sensitive than normal cells to the inhibitory effect of saffron. Inhibition of intracellular nucleic acid synthesis and free radical chain reactions may contribute to explain the molecular mechanism of antitumor effect of saffron. Although, it may be too soon to celebrate, the antitumor activity of saffron is quite promising and warrants further investigations, especially in clinical trials. | |
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