Evaluation of antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds and various extracts obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.): a review

Rahaiee, Somayeh; Moini, Sohrab; Hashemi, Maryam; Shojaosadati, Seyed Abbas

doi:10.1007/s13197-013-1238-x

Cited by 167 publications

(114 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Overall, this evidence suggests that the high level of picrocrocin in stigma tissues might confer an ecological advantage to saffron due to its bitter taste, as a defense mechanism against predators. In agreement with this hypothesis, safranal itself has been shown to have antimicrobial activity (Rahaiee et al ., ), albeit its level in fresh stigmas is rather low (Moraga et al ., ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

UGT709G1: a novel uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal in saffron (Crocus sativus)

Diretto¹,

Ahrazem

Rubio-Moraga

et al. 2019

New Phytologist

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Summary Saffron, a spice derived from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus, is one of the oldest natural food additives. The flowers have long red stigmas, which store significant quantities of the glycosylated apocarotenoids crocins and picrocrocin. The apocarotenoid biosynthetic pathway in saffron starts with the oxidative cleavage of zeaxanthin, from which crocins and picrocrocin are derived. In the processed stigmas, picrocrocin is converted to safranal, giving saffron its typical aroma. By a targeted search for differentially expressed uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) in Crocus transcriptomes, a novel apocarotenoid glucosyltransferase (UGT709G1) from saffron was identified. Biochemical analyses revealed that UGT709G1 showed a high catalytic efficiency toward 2,6,6‐trimethyl‐4‐hydroxy‐1‐carboxaldehyde‐1‐cyclohexene (HTCC), making it suited for the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal. The role of UGT709G1 in picrocrocin/safranal biosynthesis was supported by the absence or presence of gene expression in a screening for HTCC and picrocrocin production in different Crocus species and by a combined transient expression assay with CsCCD2L in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The identification of UGT709G1 completes one of the most highly valued specialized metabolic biosynthetic pathways in plants and provides novel perspectives on the industrial production of picrocrocin to be used as a flavor additive or as a pharmacological constituent.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

UGT709G1: a novel uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal in saffron (Crocus sativus)

Diretto¹,

Ahrazem

Rubio-Moraga

et al. 2019

New Phytologist

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“…Although the exact mechanism of CRO as a water soluble carotenoid for scavenging of free radicals is not yet clearly known, but it has been accepted that the mechanistic paths could be similar to those of the most known carotenoids [35]. Hence, it seems reasonable to speculate that CRO can modulate intracellular oxidative stress by regulation of body's natural antioxidant enzymes, when CRO absorbed into the blood plasma [38]. On the other side, it was found CRO has cytoprotective effect against hydrogen peroxide-induced endothelial cell injury in a dose dependent manner [46].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Crocin treatment prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

et al. 2016

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“…Redefining saffron as more than an antioxidant The benefits of saffron have widely been assumed to relate to its strong antioxidant capacity (Rahaiee et al 2015). However, the extensive molecular alterations in the brains of saffron-treated mice, in the absence of an insult, suggest additional actions that may enhance tissue resilience.…”

Section: Saffron Modulation Of Candidate Neuroprotective Moleculesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widespread brain transcriptome alterations underlie the neuroprotective actions of dietary saffron

Skladnev

Ganeshan

Kim

et al. 2016

Journal of Neurochemistry

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Dietary saffron has shown promise as a neuroprotective intervention in clinical trials of retinal degeneration and dementia and in animal models of multiple CNS disorders, including Parkinson's disease. This therapeutic potential makes it important to define the relationship between dose and protection and the mechanisms involved. To explore these two issues, mice were pre-conditioned by providing an aqueous extract of saffron (0.01% w/v) as their drinking water for 2, 5 or 10 days before administration of the parkinsonian neurotoxin MPTP (50 mg/kg). Five days of saffron pre-conditioning provided the greatest benefit against MPTP-induced neuropathology, significantly mitigating both loss of functional dopaminergic cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta (p < 0.01) and abnormal neuronal activity in the caudate-putamen complex (p < 0.0001). RNA microarray analysis of the brain transcriptome of mice pre-conditioned with saffron for 5 days revealed differential expression of 424 genes. Bioinformatics analysis identified enrichment of molecular pathways (e.g. adherens junction, TNFR1 and Fas signaling) and expression changes in candidate genes (Cyr61, Gpx8, Ndufs4, and Nos1ap) with known neuroprotective actions. The apparent biphasic nature of the dose-response relationship between saffron and measures of neuroprotection, together with the stress-inducible nature of many of the up-regulated genes and pathways, lend credence to the idea that saffron, like various other phytochemicals, is a hormetic stimulus, with functions beyond its strong antioxidant capacity. These findings provide impetus for a more comprehensive evaluation of saffron as a neuroprotective intervention.

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Evaluation of antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds and various extracts obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.): a review

Cited by 167 publications

References 44 publications

UGT709G1: a novel uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal in saffron (Crocus sativus)

UGT709G1: a novel uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal in saffron (Crocus sativus)

Crocin treatment prevents doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Widespread brain transcriptome alterations underlie the neuroprotective actions of dietary saffron

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