Antidepressant and antianxiety properties of saffron

Abstract Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders and one of the five most common diseases in the world. Long-term and continuous use of drugs including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and monoamine oxidase inhibitors is associated with complications such as sedation, nausea, anticholinergic effects, arrhythmias, and cardiac toxicity. Given patients’ need for continuous use of drugs, it is necessary to use drugs with fewer side effects. For this purpose, the use of traditional medicine and medicinal herbs has attracted special attention. Findings have shown that saffron has antidepressant and anxiolytic properties with minimal side effects. It is suggested that safranal and crocin, as the main active ingredients of saffron, may be responsible for its antidepressant and anxiolytic properties. This chapter reviews the available data on the effects of saffron, safranal, and crocin in the treatment of depression and anxiety.