Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers of crocus and gardenia.[1] Its oxygen content also chemically makes it a xanthene. Crocin is the chemical primarily responsible for the color of saffron.
Chemically, crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharidegentiobiose and the dicarboxylic acidcrocetin. When isolated as a pure chemical compound, it has a deep red color and forms crystals with a melting point of 186 °C. When dissolved in water, it forms an orange solution.
The term crocins may also refer to members of a series of related hydrophilic carotenoids that are either monoglycosyl or diglycosyl polyene esters of crocetin.[2] The crocin underlying saffron's aroma is α-crocin (a carotenoid pigment that may compose more than 10% of dry saffron's mass): trans-crocetin di-(β-D-gentiobiosyl) ester; it bears the systematic (IUPAC) name 8,8-diapo-8,8-carotenoic acid.[2]: 20
The major active component of saffron is the yellow pigment crocin 2 (three other derivatives with different glycosylations are known) containing a gentiobiose (disaccharide) group at each end of the molecule. The five major biologically active components of saffron, namely the four crocins and crocetin, can be measured with HPLC-UV.[3]
Research
Absorption
Crocin ingested orally is hydrolised to crocetin in the gut which is absorbed across the intestinal barrier, and that crocetin can permeate the blood–brain barrier.[4][5]
Antioxidant
Crocin has been shown to be an antioxidant,[6][7] and neural protective agent.[8][9] Crocin can reduce oxidative stress and ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species) through enhancement of gene expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and anti-oxidant enzymes, such as CAT, GSH, and SOD.[10][2][7]
Neuroprotective
Crocin and its derivative crocetin may counteract oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, which are closely linked to initiation and progression of major brain pathologies such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.[11]
In an animal model of malathion-induced Parkinson's disease, crocin reduced the neurotoxic effect of malathion by its anti-apoptotic activity and it regulated the expression of proteins involved in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.[12]
Crocins can suppress the active forms of GSK3β and ERK1/2 kinases, significantly reducing tau phosphorylation, thus suppressing key molecular pathways of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.[13]
Mood
Crocin displays possible antidepressant properties in mice[14] and humans.[15][16][17]
Crocin through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK, VEGF, Wnt/β-catenin, and JAK-STAT suppression has antiproliferative properties. Also, the Nrf2 and p53 signaling pathway activation may be effective in the antiproliferative effect of crocin.[22]
Behavior
Aphrodisiac properties of crocin in male rats has been observed at very high doses.[23]
Retinal diseases
Emerging evidence highlights the cytoprotective, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory potential of crocin in retinal tissue, which positions it as a promising candidate for enhancing vision and eye health. Nevertheless, it's important to note that the majority of research has primarily focused on animal models, and there remains a shortage of robust clinical data to firmly establish the benefits of crocin in addressing eye health and related diseases.[24]
^ abcAbdullaev FI (January 2002). "Cancer chemopreventive and tumoricidal properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)". Experimental Biology and Medicine. 227 (1): 20–25. doi:10.1177/153537020222700104. PMID11788779. S2CID40798771.
^Li N, Lin G, Kwan YW, Min ZD (July 1999). "Simultaneous quantification of five major biologically active ingredients of saffron by high-performance liquid chromatography". Journal of Chromatography A. 849 (2): 349–355. doi:10.1016/S0021-9673(99)00600-7. PMID10457433.
^Lautenschläger M, Sendker J, Hüwel S, Galla HJ, Brandt S, Düfer M, et al. (January 2015). "Intestinal formation of trans-crocetin from saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) and in vitro permeation through intestinal and blood brain barrier". Phytomedicine. 22 (1): 36–44. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2014.10.009. PMID25636868.
^Papandreou MA, Kanakis CD, Polissiou MG, Efthimiopoulos S, Cordopatis P, Margarity M, Lamari FN (November 2006). "Inhibitory activity on amyloid-beta aggregation and antioxidant properties of Crocus sativus stigmas extract and its crocin constituents". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 54 (23): 8762–8768. doi:10.1021/jf061932a. PMID17090119.
^ abAkhtari K; Hassanzadeh K; Fakhraei B; Fakhraei N; Hassanzadeh H; Zarei S A (2013). "A density functional theory study of the reactivity descriptors and antioxidant behavior of Crocin". Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. 1013: 123–129. doi:10.1016/j.comptc.2013.03.015.
^Ochiai T, Shimeno H, Mishima K, Iwasaki K, Fujiwara M, Tanaka H, et al. (April 2007). "Protective effects of carotenoids from saffron on neuronal injury in vitro and in vivo". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects. 1770 (4): 578–584. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2006.11.012. PMID17215084.
^Zheng YQ, Liu JX, Wang JN, Xu L (March 2007). "Effects of crocin on reperfusion-induced oxidative/nitrative injury to cerebral microvessels after global cerebral ischemia". Brain Research. 1138: 86–94. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2006.12.064. PMID17274961. S2CID25495517.
^Scuto M, Modafferi S, Rampulla F, Zimbone V, Tomasello M, Spano' S, et al. (July 2022). "Redox modulation of stress resilience by Crocus sativus L. for potential neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory applications in brain disorders: From molecular basis to therapy". Mechanisms of Ageing and Development. 205: 111686. doi:10.1016/j.mad.2022.111686. PMID35609733. S2CID248950035.
^Mohammadzadeh L, Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Razavi BM, Hosseinzadeh H (May 2022). "Crocin Protects Malathion-Induced Striatal Biochemical Deficits by Inhibiting Apoptosis and Increasing α-Synuclein in Rats' Striatum". Journal of Molecular Neuroscience. 72 (5): 983–993. doi:10.1007/s12031-022-01990-3. PMID35274200. S2CID247383603.
^Hosseinzadeh H, Jahanian Z (May 2010). "Effect of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) stigma and its constituents, crocin and safranal, on morphine withdrawal syndrome in mice". Phytotherapy Research. 24 (5): 726–730. doi:10.1002/ptr.3011. PMID19827024. S2CID38143210.
^Chryssanthi DG, Lamari FN, Iatrou G, Pylara A, Karamanos NK, Cordopatis P (2007). "Inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation by style constituents of different Crocus species". Anticancer Research. 27 (1A): 357–362. PMID17352254.
^Abdullaev Jafarova F, Caballero-Ortega H, Riverón-Negrete L, Pereda-Miranda R, Rivera-Luna R, Manuel Hernández J, et al. (2002). "[In vitro evaluation of the chemopreventive potential of saffron]". Revista de Investigacion Clinica. 54 (5): 430–436. PMID12587418.
^Boozari M, Hosseinzadeh H (August 2022). "Crocin molecular signaling pathways at a glance: A comprehensive review". Phytotherapy Research. 36 (10): 3859–3884. doi:10.1002/ptr.7583. PMID35989419. S2CID251721130.
^Hosseinzadeh H, Ziaee T, Sadeghi A (June 2008). "The effect of saffron, Crocus sativus stigma, extract and its constituents, safranal and crocin on sexual behaviors in normal male rats". Phytomedicine. 15 (6–7): 491–495. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2007.09.020. PMID17962007.
