Crocus sativus

Background

Chinese Name (pinyin): Xihonghua

Chinese Name  :

Common Name  :Saffron

Specific Name  : Stigma croci

Scientific Name:
Collection  :

Description  : Linear, 3 branched about 3 cm long, dark red, the upper part broader and slightly flattened, the margin of apex irregularly dented with a short slit at the inner side, sometimes a small piece of yellow style remained at the lower end. Texture light, lax and soft without oily lustre, brittle and short after drying. Odor characteristic slightly irritant and taste slightly bitter.

Identification  : 1.Powder: Orange red. Epidermal cells long stripe shape in surface view, thin walled, slightly sinouos, sometimes the outer walls protruding and showing papillae with indistinct fine striations. Terminal epidermal cells of stigma papillated. 26 - 56 µm in diameter with sparse striations on surface. Parenchymatous cells crowded with crystals of calcium oxalate, granular, round fascicled fusiform or sub-square, 2 - 14µm in diameter.2.Macerate a small quantity of the drug in water, the orange yellow color descends vertically and diffuses slowly while the solution is yellow without precipitation. Stigma looks like a loudspeaker with short chink which is not broken in a short time when picked with a needle.3.Place a small quantity of the drug on a white porcelain plate, add 1 drop of sulfuric acid, a blue to purple color is produced which turns to reddish brown or brown gradually.4.Measure the absorbance of the solution obtained under the test for absorbance at 458 nm (Appendix V B), The ratio of the absorbance at 458 nm to that at 432 nm in 0.85 - 0.90.Loss on drying: After drying 2 g at 105ºC for 6 hours, loses not more than 12.0% of its weight (Appendix 1X G).Total ash: Not more than 7.5% (Appendix 1X K)Absorbance: Dry the drug in vacuum desiccator over silica gel for 24 hours and grind into fine powder. Weigh accurately 30 mg into a Soxhlet's extractor. Extract with 70 ml of ethanol under reflux and cool. Transfer the extract to a 100 ml volumetric flask, filter if necessary. Wash the extractor with methanol, transfer the washings into the volumetric flask, dilute with methanol; to volume and mix well. Measure accurately 5 ml to a 50ml volumetric flask, dilute with methanol to volume and mix well. Measure the absorbance at 432 nm (Appendix V B) not less than 0.5.

Processing  :

Action  : To activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis fter childbirth; eruptions in infectious diseases; emotional dejection, mani.

Indication  :

Precautions  : Used with caution in pregnancy.

Dosage  : 3 to 9 g.

Storage  : Preserve in tightly closed containers, stored in a cool and dry place, protected from light.

Background

Chinese Name (pinyin): Xihonghua

Chinese Name  :

Common Name  :Saffron

Specific Name  : Stigma croci

Scientific Name:
Collection  :

Description  : Linear, 3 branched about 3 cm long, dark red, the upper part broader and slightly flattened, the margin of apex irregularly dented with a short slit at the inner side, sometimes a small piece of yellow style remained at the lower end. Texture light, lax and soft without oily lustre, brittle and short after drying. Odor characteristic slightly irritant and taste slightly bitter.

Identification  : 1.Powder: Orange red. Epidermal cells long stripe shape in surface view, thin walled, slightly sinouos, sometimes the outer walls protruding and showing papillae with indistinct fine striations. Terminal epidermal cells of stigma papillated. 26 - 56 µm in diameter with sparse striations on surface. Parenchymatous cells crowded with crystals of calcium oxalate, granular, round fascicled fusiform or sub-square, 2 - 14µm in diameter.2.Macerate a small quantity of the drug in water, the orange yellow color descends vertically and diffuses slowly while the solution is yellow without precipitation. Stigma looks like a loudspeaker with short chink which is not broken in a short time when picked with a needle.3.Place a small quantity of the drug on a white porcelain plate, add 1 drop of sulfuric acid, a blue to purple color is produced which turns to reddish brown or brown gradually.4.Measure the absorbance of the solution obtained under the test for absorbance at 458 nm (Appendix V B), The ratio of the absorbance at 458 nm to that at 432 nm in 0.85 - 0.90.Loss on drying: After drying 2 g at 105ºC for 6 hours, loses not more than 12.0% of its weight (Appendix 1X G).Total ash: Not more than 7.5% (Appendix 1X K)Absorbance: Dry the drug in vacuum desiccator over silica gel for 24 hours and grind into fine powder. Weigh accurately 30 mg into a Soxhlet's extractor. Extract with 70 ml of ethanol under reflux and cool. Transfer the extract to a 100 ml volumetric flask, filter if necessary. Wash the extractor with methanol, transfer the washings into the volumetric flask, dilute with methanol; to volume and mix well. Measure accurately 5 ml to a 50ml volumetric flask, dilute with methanol to volume and mix well. Measure the absorbance at 432 nm (Appendix V B) not less than 0.5.

Processing  :

Action  : To activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis fter childbirth; eruptions in infectious diseases; emotional dejection, mani.

Indication  :

Precautions  : Used with caution in pregnancy.

Dosage  : 3 to 9 g.

Storage  : Preserve in tightly closed containers, stored in a cool and dry place, protected from light.

Background

Chinese Name (pinyin): Xihonghua

Chinese Name  :

Common Name  :Saffron

Specific Name  : Stigma croci

Scientific Name:
Collection  :

Description  : Linear, 3 branched about 3 cm long, dark red, the upper part broader and slightly flattened, the margin of apex irregularly dented with a short slit at the inner side, sometimes a small piece of yellow style remained at the lower end. Texture light, lax and soft without oily lustre, brittle and short after drying. Odor characteristic slightly irritant and taste slightly bitter.

Identification  : 1.Powder: Orange red. Epidermal cells long stripe shape in surface view, thin walled, slightly sinouos, sometimes the outer walls protruding and showing papillae with indistinct fine striations. Terminal epidermal cells of stigma papillated. 26 - 56 µm in diameter with sparse striations on surface. Parenchymatous cells crowded with crystals of calcium oxalate, granular, round fascicled fusiform or sub-square, 2 - 14µm in diameter.2.Macerate a small quantity of the drug in water, the orange yellow color descends vertically and diffuses slowly while the solution is yellow without precipitation. Stigma looks like a loudspeaker with short chink which is not broken in a short time when picked with a needle.3.Place a small quantity of the drug on a white porcelain plate, add 1 drop of sulfuric acid, a blue to purple color is produced which turns to reddish brown or brown gradually.4.Measure the absorbance of the solution obtained under the test for absorbance at 458 nm (Appendix V B), The ratio of the absorbance at 458 nm to that at 432 nm in 0.85 - 0.90.Loss on drying: After drying 2 g at 105ºC for 6 hours, loses not more than 12.0% of its weight (Appendix 1X G).Total ash: Not more than 7.5% (Appendix 1X K)Absorbance: Dry the drug in vacuum desiccator over silica gel for 24 hours and grind into fine powder. Weigh accurately 30 mg into a Soxhlet's extractor. Extract with 70 ml of ethanol under reflux and cool. Transfer the extract to a 100 ml volumetric flask, filter if necessary. Wash the extractor with methanol, transfer the washings into the volumetric flask, dilute with methanol; to volume and mix well. Measure accurately 5 ml to a 50ml volumetric flask, dilute with methanol to volume and mix well. Measure the absorbance at 432 nm (Appendix V B) not less than 0.5.

Processing  :

Action  : To activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis fter childbirth; eruptions in infectious diseases; emotional dejection, mani.

Indication  :

Precautions  : Used with caution in pregnancy.

Dosage  : 3 to 9 g.

Storage  : Preserve in tightly closed containers, stored in a cool and dry place, protected from light.

Background

Chinese Name (pinyin): Xihonghua

Chinese Name  :

Common Name  :Saffron

Specific Name  : Stigma croci

Scientific Name:
Collection  :

Description  : Linear, 3 branched about 3 cm long, dark red, the upper part broader and slightly flattened, the margin of apex irregularly dented with a short slit at the inner side, sometimes a small piece of yellow style remained at the lower end. Texture light, lax and soft without oily lustre, brittle and short after drying. Odor characteristic slightly irritant and taste slightly bitter.

Identification  : 1.Powder: Orange red. Epidermal cells long stripe shape in surface view, thin walled, slightly sinouos, sometimes the outer walls protruding and showing papillae with indistinct fine striations. Terminal epidermal cells of stigma papillated. 26 - 56 µm in diameter with sparse striations on surface. Parenchymatous cells crowded with crystals of calcium oxalate, granular, round fascicled fusiform or sub-square, 2 - 14µm in diameter.2.Macerate a small quantity of the drug in water, the orange yellow color descends vertically and diffuses slowly while the solution is yellow without precipitation. Stigma looks like a loudspeaker with short chink which is not broken in a short time when picked with a needle.3.Place a small quantity of the drug on a white porcelain plate, add 1 drop of sulfuric acid, a blue to purple color is produced which turns to reddish brown or brown gradually.4.Measure the absorbance of the solution obtained under the test for absorbance at 458 nm (Appendix V B), The ratio of the absorbance at 458 nm to that at 432 nm in 0.85 - 0.90.Loss on drying: After drying 2 g at 105ºC for 6 hours, loses not more than 12.0% of its weight (Appendix 1X G).Total ash: Not more than 7.5% (Appendix 1X K)Absorbance: Dry the drug in vacuum desiccator over silica gel for 24 hours and grind into fine powder. Weigh accurately 30 mg into a Soxhlet's extractor. Extract with 70 ml of ethanol under reflux and cool. Transfer the extract to a 100 ml volumetric flask, filter if necessary. Wash the extractor with methanol, transfer the washings into the volumetric flask, dilute with methanol; to volume and mix well. Measure accurately 5 ml to a 50ml volumetric flask, dilute with methanol to volume and mix well. Measure the absorbance at 432 nm (Appendix V B) not less than 0.5.

Processing  :

Action  : To activate blood circulation and eliminate blood stasis fter childbirth; eruptions in infectious diseases; emotional dejection, mani.

Indication  :

Precautions  : Used with caution in pregnancy.

Dosage  : 3 to 9 g.

Storage  : Preserve in tightly closed containers, stored in a cool and dry place, protected from light.

Evidence or the Use of Crocus sativus in the Treatment of Epilepesy

1st Five Results: pubmed search

Cristian Martínez-Fajardo, Pablo Navarro-Simarro, Lucía Morote, Ángela Rubio-Moraga, María Mondéjar-López, Enrique Niza, Javier Argandoña, Oussama Ahrazem, Lourdes Gómez-Gómez, Alberto José López-Jiménez
Exploring the viral landscape of saffron through metatranscriptomic analysis.
Virus Res: 2024, 345;199389
[PubMed:38714217] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I a)

Zahra Nemati, Seyyedeh-Sanam Kazemi-Shahandashti, Adriana Garibay-Hernández, Hans-Peter Mock, Maximilian H-W Schmidt, Björn Usadel, Frank R Blattner
Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of yellow-flowered crocuses to infer alternative sources of saffron metabolites.
BMC Plant Biol: 2024, 24(1);369
[PubMed:38711012] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I e)

Anjali Chaudhary, Kunal Singh
Transcriptome analysis of apical meristem enriched bud samples for size dependent flowering commitment in Crocus sativus reveal role of sugar and auxin signalling.
Mol Biol Rep: 2024, 51(1);605
[PubMed:38700570] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (I e)

Aman Goyal, Fatima Ali Raza, Samia Aziz Sulaiman, Abeer Shahzad, Syeda Ilsa Aaqil, Mahrukh Iqbal, Binish Javed, Prakriti Pokhrel
Saffron extract as an emerging novel therapeutic option in reproduction and sexual health: recent advances and future prospectives.
Ann Med Surg (Lond): 2024, 86(5);2856-2865
[PubMed:38694315] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P e)

Alexander Panossian, Terry Lemerond, Thomas Efferth
State-of-the-Art Review on Botanical Hybrid Preparations in Phytomedicine and Phytotherapy Research: Background and Perspectives.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel): 2024, 17(4);
[PubMed:38675443] [WorldCat.org] [DOI] (P e)