Products
Saffron is commercially available as an expensive spice in the form of threads or powder. Saffron extract is found in dietary supplements.
Stem plant
Saffron L. from the iris family (Iridaceae) is a perennial plant that is grown extensively in Iran and the Mediterranean region, for example. In many countries, it has been cultivated for centuries in Mund in the canton of Valais.
Medicinal drug
As a medicinal raw material and spice, the dried stigmas of the flower are used (Croci stigma). The whole saffron flowers are harvested in the course of the morning in the fall while they are open. The stigmas are then laboriously removed from the flowers by hand. According to the literature, between 130,000 and 200,000 flowers are needed for 1 kg of saffron (!) Saffron has a bitter taste, an aromatic smell and a red color. If it is put into warm water, a yellow to orange solution is formed. It is bitter mainly as long as it has not been dried. The quality is very variable and saffron and fakes are common. They are made with natural and artificial dyes.
Ingredients
The ingredients of saffron include:
- Carbohydrates, proteins, lipids
- Minerals, fiber
- Colorants (carotenoids, crocine): crocin (glycoside), crocetin (aglycone), alpha and beta carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin.
- Essential oil: safranal (monoterpenaldehyde), a degradation product of the bitter substance picrocrocin.
- Flavonoids
Effects
Saffron has been shown in studies to have antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor and antispasmodic properties, among others.
Indications for use
Medicine:
- Saffron is studied as an antidepressant and for cancer.
- Gastrointestinal disorders.
Food:
- As a spice.
Textiles:
- As a dye for clothing.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity
- Pregnancy
- Bipolar disorder
We do not have a complete list of precautions.
Adverse effects
Studies have reported increased appetite, anxiety, nausea, and headache, among other effects. Low doses appear to be safe. An overdose of saffron is toxic. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, diarrhea, bleeding, and dizziness. It stimulates uterine contractions in pregnant women and can cause premature birth. The lethal dose is about 20 g.
