What’s Crocin?

Crocin is one of the Carotenoid compounds that just presented in saffron and gardenia. Crocin is synthesized only by plant itself and like other natural compounds which is usually found in plants.

Introduction Of Crocin

Herbal plants have been used for folk medicine since immemorial times and still used in developing countries as the primary source of medical treatment. Thus, research has developed into investigating the potential properties and uses of terrestrial plants extracts for the preparation of potential nonmaterial based drugs for diseases including cancer. Many plant species are already being used to treat or prevent development of cancer. Cancer is a major public health problem worldwide. Currently, cancer is the second leading cause of death and its incidence is expected to be more than heart disease in upcoming years. The most important considerable features of cancer cells are uncontrolled proliferation, up-regulated differentiation, and immortality. Therefore, there is a focus on treatment of cancer by using of the medicinal plants. One of the ancient pharmaceutical planets that used as medicinal plants in almost all cultures of the past to the present is saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its main constituents.

Crocin, is a color agent and a unique water-soluble carotenoid pigment of the stigmas of saffron. Anticancer activities of crocin and crocin derivatives have been demonstrated in a wide spectrum of human cancer and the research findings on pharmacological properties of saffron and its constituents are similar to findings as described by Avicenna. There are four chemical analogs of crocin, including crocin’s. All of these analoges are glycosides of trans- crocetin, as a carotenoid derivative. Among the four above mentioned crocin’s, crocin (crocin; alpha-crocin; crocetin digentiobiose ester) is the most abundant in saffron and has been extensively studied for its pharmacological effects. Crocin with the chemical structure of C44H64O24 is the major reddish yellow pigment of saffron and in the higher purity is purple to blue color. Crocin, as main active components of saffron, has showed strong beneficial properties for utilized in different industries such as pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic applications.

1- Structure

Crocin-I: R= Gentiobiose  , Crocin-II : R= Glucose Crocin III:R=H

2- Pharmaceutical applications

Crocin is possessed treatment or improvement of many diseases by beneficial properties. Recent studies have boosted interest in its medicinal properties as antioxidants, antitumorigenic, memory enhancers, antidepressants and anxiolytics, aphrodisiac, Geno protectives, antitussives, cardio protectives, neuroprotective too many other activities are a small part of the conducted studies on the medicinal usage of crocin.

3- Mechanism of Action

Studies Has shown that crocin have therapeutic effects by using different functional mechanisms. The studies indicated that crocin by inhibiting amyloid β-peptide fibrillogenesis, (formation and deposition in the brain) acts as an Anti-Alzheimer agent. Crocin could decrease cholesteryl esters (CE) in macrophages and uptake of Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox- LDL), inhibiting the formation of foam cell, which would promote the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Crocin exerted antiatherosclerotic effects through decreasing the level of Oxidized low-density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) that plays an important role in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. Other researchers demonstrated that antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of saffron and crocin protect photoreceptors against oxidative damages in the early stages of age-related macular degeneration. Antidepressant properties of crocin (affected on dopamin) are related to regulating neurotransmitters level in the brain.

4- Other Uses of Crocin

Saffron is a natural food coloring agent and crocin is major color pigment of saffron. Crocin shows good overall performance as food colorant because of its stability against light, oxidation, microbiological attack and changing environmental condition such as temperature and ph.

Due to the beneficial properties and non-toxic effect, less side effect, medicinal value and natural nature, crocin can be used in food products and pharmaceutical industry.

On the other hand, Saffron extracts and crocin can be used in formulation of sun protection lotions and creams for protection the skin from sunlight exposing and any environmental damaging elements.

Skin is constantly under attack by free radicals-damaging molecules that comes from UV light and from other sources, such as pollution, cigarette smoke and more.

Crocin (an antioxidant agent) can be preventing of many common diseases by taming harmful free radicals. Aging of skin is the result of the oxidation of free radicals in the skin and crocin scavenge light-induced free radicals thereby reducing the damaging effects of long-term exposure to UV on skin cells.

5- Packing

Crocin is stable in the air and under the sunlight. However, we select a package which can avoid oxygen and sunlight. In this case, we provide two kinds of packages to choose. The first one is vacuum foil bag and the second one is plastic bottle (polyethylene).

6- Reference

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