Assessment of Crocus sativus L., and Its Bioactive Constituents as Potential Anti-Anxiety Compounds. Basic and Clinical Evidence

Abstract Anxiety is a severe psychiatric disease with high impact on the public health. Pharmacotherapy of the different anxiety disorders targets the GABA-ergic or the serotonergic system. Various types of this psychiatric disease, however, are resistant to challenge with GABA-ergic or serotonergic compounds, and the use of such agents is associated with serious adverse effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for innovative medications but also alternative targets. The active principles of the plant saffron (Crocus sativus L.) are widely used as therapeutic agents in folk medicine for different pathologies. The outcome of a series of studies proposes the implication of Crocus. Sativus L. and its constituents in anxiety. In the present report, I critically evaluate the potential anxiolytic activity of these emerging agents and comment on their advantages over actually used antianxiety agents as well remaining issues. The present assessment proposes that saffron and its bioactive ingredients seem to be interesting antianxiety agents.