Amelioration of Liver Ailments by Saffron (Crocus sativus) and Its Secondary Metabolites

Abstract

Saffron, the stigma of Crocus sativus L., has a long history for being used in food industry (flavoring and aromatic agent), in textile industries (dyes), and for therapeutic and medicinal purposes. Medicinal uses of saffron can be attributed to the active metabolites such as crocin, crocetin, picrocrocin, and safranal present in it, which exhibit antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, antidepressant, antitussive, antigenototoxic, anxiolytic, aphrodisiac, antioxidant, anticancer, antiinflammatory, antinociceptive, and muscle relaxant activity.The liver is a critical organ of the human body. It supports metabolism, digestion, detoxification, vitamin storage, and immunity among other functions. According to various studies conducted on animal models and liver cell lines to assess the activity of saffron on the liver, it has been observed that saffron and its active components play a significant role as hepatoprotective agent via its antioxidant and radical scavenging activity, genoprotective and chemopreventive activity, inhibition of cell proliferation, induction of apoptosis, prevention of lipid peroxidation and antiinflammatory processes in fatty liver disease, liver cancer, hyperlipidemia, and hepatotoxicity. This chapter covers various activities of saffron on the liver with emphasis on liver cancer and the possible mechanism involved in it. © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.