The psychopharmacology of saffron, a plant with putative antidepressant and neuroprotective properties

Abstract The dried stigma of the plant Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae), commonly known as saffron, is used as a food spice and in folk medicine for various purposes. Of over 150 phytochemicals present in saffron, crocetin, a carotenoid precursor of the carotenoid crocin, is the primary bioactive metabolite and responsible for saffron's characteristic color. Other relevant bioactive components are picrocrocin and safranal. Saffron flower tepals and stigmas also contain flavonoids and anthocyanins. Potential therapeutic applications of saffron and its compounds have been investigated in in vitro and in vivo studies, reporting several properties including immunoregulatory, antiinflammatory, antioxidant, cardioprotective, antiatherogenic, antibacterial, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antidepressant, anxiolytic, and neuroprotective activities. The therapeutic effects of saffron and its extracts have also been studied clinically. The most researched clinical applications relate to mental health, with current evidence suggesting benefits in the treatment of depression and degenerative disorders of the central nervous system.