Biochemical, Antioxidant and Antineoplastic Properties of Italian Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus L</i>.)

Abstract

Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is got by Crocus sativus L. stigmas. The production of this substance has attracted human interest, since ancient cultures, for its medicinal and culinary properties. Because of saffron high economic value, sometimes, since Middle Ages, it is adulterated with other vegetal materials, dyes or synthetic molecules. Object of this work was the study of one of the best world saffron: Civitaretenga (AQ, Central Italy) C. sativus. Taste, color and aroma of Civitaretenga spice were determined, according to international standards (ISO/Technical Specification 3632), to define its high quality. A biochemical approach was then applied to obtain a secondary metabolite profile of this product. So, crocins, total phenolic content, flavonoids and phenolic acids were detected by HPLC-DAD and spectrophotometric analysis. Moreover, in vitro antioxidant properties and in vivo antineoplastic effects, on highly metastatic murine B16-F10 melanoma cell line, were successfully revealed in Civitaretenga C. sativus extract. All these data confirmed the elevated quality of Civitaretenga saffron and its highly reducing and chemopreventive activity.

Characterization of Secondary Metabolites from Various Solvent Extracts of Saffron Floral Waste

“…Similar results were obtained by Gregory and Menary [18]. Using GC-MS, Cullere et al [10] reported identification of phenylethanol, acetic acid esters while 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, geraniol, linalool, acetic acid esters were reported by Carmona et al [19] and flavonoids like kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin have been reported by Gismondi et al [20]. …”

Nanodiamonds coupled with plant bioactive metabolites: A nanotech approach for cancer therapy

“…Human cervical cancer (HeLa) and murine melanoma (B16F10) cells were grown and propagated under standard culture conditions [32,33]. Nanodiamond solutions (previously described) were sonicated before their use, in order to break up possible aggregates.…”

Metabolomic profiling of the phytomedicinal constituents of Carica papaya L. leaves and seeds by 1H NMR spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis

“…The total phenolic and flavonoid content and antioxidant capacities of different plant parts were measured using a DPPH free radical scavenging assay and an ABTS assay, as well as in a C2C12 cell line, to validate the phytomedicinal properties of the significant metabolites identified from the NMR analysis. DPPH and ABTS assays have been previously used to estimate the antioxidant properties of Italian saffron Crocus sativus L. [24], Sideritis italica extracts [25] and the antioxidant properties of Lavandula angustifolia Miller essential oil [26]. Total phenolic and flavonoid content have been previously calculated and related to plant stress in response to tetracycline accumulation [27], in Cordyceps pruinosa mycelia cultivated under different media and light conditions [28] and in Saraca Asoka flowers [29] and African medicinal plants [30].…”