[[File:Saffron.jpg|thumb|350px|left|Crocus Sativus]]Other Names : Crocus Sativus, Autumn Crocus, Azafrán, Azafron, Croci stigma, Crocus sativus, Indian Saffron, Kashmira, Kesar, Kumkuma, Saffron Crocus, Safran, Spanish Saffron, True Saffron, Zafran.<br>Saffron is a naturally derived plant product from . The dried stigmas (thread-like parts of the Iris familyflower) are used to make saffron spice. It must be can take 75,000 saffron blossoms to produce a single pound of saffron spice. Saffron is largely cultivated and harvested by hand-picked . Due to the amount of labor involved in harvesting, saffron is considered one of the world's most expensive spices. The stigmas are also used to make medicine.==Special Precautions of Saffron==*Although saffron is considered safe when consumed as a food, use of saffron supplements may trigger several side effects (including dry mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, and driedheadache). Three acres * Taking large amounts of saffron is UNSAFE. High doses can cause poisoning, including yellow appearance of the flower only produces one pound skin, eyes, and mucous membranes; vomiting; dizziness; bloody diarrhea; bleeding from the nose, lips, and eyelids; numbness; and other serious side effects. Doses of 12-20 grams can cause death.*Since saffron may affect mood, people with serious mood disorders (such as bipolar disorder) should avoid the use of saffron.* Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Don’t take saffron in amounts larger than those normally found in food. Larger amounts of saffron can make the uterus contract and might cause a miscarriage.* Allergies to Lolium, Olea (includes olive), and Salsola plant species: People who are allergic to these plants might also be allergic to saffron.==The benefits of Saffron are==It is best known for its seasoning has been used in traditional Persian medicine to relieve stomachaches, ease the pain of kidney stones, and color properties because it adds a yellowish hue treat depression. In traditional Chinese system, saffron was used as an agent to foodsimprove blood circulation and cure the bruise. And it's becoming more Some studies suggest that saffron may also have benefits of anticancer and more popular for its antioxidantmemory-enhancing activities. Some studies suggest saffron extracts may have benefits of memory-enhancing, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory traitsoxidative activities. "In * [[Cancer]] : There are piles of evidence of saffron benefits on cancers, however, clinical support is needed to verify the fight claim. Saffron may be able to against cancer there has been much interest in chemo-preventive properties lots of natural herbs cancers such as leukemia, ovarian carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, papilloma, squamous cell carcinoma, and plantssoft tissue sarcoma. In vitro study," says Drsacrcoma's effect on carcinoma, sarcoma and leukemia cells is dose-dependent. AminIn a study of rats, saffron delays tumor growth and increase the life span of the animals. And he believes It also delays the onset of papilloma growth and decreases the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma. A study indicates its effect may be related to a significant inhibition of nucleic acid synthesis. It appears that saffron (dimethyl-crocetin) disrupts the DNA-protein interactions e.g. topoisomerases II, which is a leader amongst herbsimportant for cellular DNA synthesis. It'is believed that crocetin and / or crocin attribute(s actually not new ) such activity. Please, note that these are either animal or in vitro studies,clinical studies are needed to support saffron health benefits.Research studies about saffron benefits on cancer. A recent study reports that crocetin is an anti-tumor agent in animal models and cell culture systems. It affects the medical worldgrowth of cancer cells by inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis, enhancing anti-oxidative system, inducing apoptosis and hindering growth factor signaling pathways. In a study, rats were treated with diethylnitrosamine as to induce liver cancer Administration of saffron at doses of 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg/day was started 2 weeks prior to the diethylnitrosamine injection and was continued for 22 weeks. Saffron significantly reduced the number and the incidence of hepatic dyschromatic nodules. Another study demonstrates that crocin induces apoptosis and G1-phase cell cycle arrest of human pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3 cells! The spice has been used study shows the effect of crocin (cell viability) is dose and time dependent. Similarly, ethanolic extract of saffron also decreases cell viability in malignant lung cancer cells as a remedy for centuriesconcentration and time-dependent manner, in another study. But it* [[Alzheimer's only Disease]] : 15 mg of saffron twice per day was both safe and effective in recent years mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.*Premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Some clinical research shows that its benefits have been tested in labstaking a specific saffron extract (Department of Cultivation and Development of Institute of Medicinal Plants, Iran) significantly improves symptoms of PMS after two menstrual cycles. So how do you get *Menstrual discomfort. Some clinical research shows the taking a specific product containing saffron into your diet?, anise, and celery seed (SCA, Gol Daro Herbal Medicine Laboratory) reduces pain severity and duration during the menstrual cycle. You can find *[[Atherosclerosis]] : Crocetin is a carotenoid (8,8'-diapo-8,8'-carotenoic acid) with seven double bonds and four methyl groups. It contributes the most health benefits of saffron at any grocery store as well as saffron supplements. The supplements are sold In addition to help elevate mood its effect on cancer cells, crocetin also enhances the oxygen diffusivity through plasma and relieve stressother liquids, increases alveolar oxygen transport and enhance pulmonary oxygenation. We previously reported In study of hemorrhaged rats, crocetin improves cerebral oxygenation and shows benefits on how saffron can reduce the atherosclerosis and arthritis treatment. In other animal studies, crocetin inhibits skin tumor promotion.*neurodegenerative Disorders : Saffron extract, crocetin and crocin may have benefits on people suffered from neurodegenerative disorders accompanying memory impairment. Researchers believe that crocin may attribute this effect. *[[depressionDepression]] by 25 percent: Several human clinical trials provide preliminary positive evidence of antidepressant effects of saffron. The doctor recommended dose is 30 mg once *oxidative stress : Rats were injected with saffron extract, crocin or twice vehicle over a period of 21days while being exposed to chronic restraint stress(6h/day). But you can simply add After this, they were trained and tested on a little water-maze spatial memory task. Saffron and crocin prevented the impairment of learning and memory as well as the spice oxidative stress damage to your favorite dishthe hippocampus induced by chronic stress.*high lipid levels : In a study of hyperlipemia rats, crocin decreased cholesterol, triglyceride and density lipoprotein levels, and increased the content of high density lipoprotein. Dr* Researchers believe that crocin prevents atherosclerosis in hyperlipemia, via inhibition of both proliferation of smooth muscle cells and activation of p38MAPK. Amin * [[PMS]] : Saffron extract may help relieve symptoms of PMS, a 2008 study from the British Journal of Obstetrics and his team's next step is to test Gynecology. After taking saffron supplements daily throughout two menstrual cycles, study participants had a significantly greater decrease in actual PMS symptoms than those who took a placebo for the same time period.* [[liver cancerAromatherapy]] patientsfor Vata Imbalance.* [[Vision Problems]]: Saffron not only protects the vision cells (photoreceptors) from damage, but may also slow and possibly even reverse the course of blinding diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa.==References==* ''Amin A et al, Hepatology. 2011 May 23. doi: 10.1002/hep.24433''* ''Bakshi H, et al, Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2010;11(3):675-9.''* ''Samarghandian S et al, Pharmacogn Mag. 2010 Oct;6(24):309-14.''* ''Ghadrdoost B, et al, Eur J Pharmacol. 2011 May 18.''* ''Sarris J et al, Eur Neuropsychopharmacol. 2011 May 20''[[Category:Treatments]][[Category:herbal medicine]][[Category:home remedies]][[Category:Antineoplastic]][[Category:Antirheumatic]][[Category:Aphrodisiac]]