Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection
Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.) is a spice used worldwide as a colouring and flavouring agent. Saffron is also a source of multiple bioactive constituents with potential health benefits. Notably, saffron displays consistent beneficial effects against a range of human neurological diso...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/24/5368 |
| _version_ | 1797455891296944128 |
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| author | Débora Cerdá-Bernad Leonor Costa Ana Teresa Serra Maria Rosário Bronze Estefanía Valero-Cases Francisca Pérez-Llamas María Emilia Candela Marino B. Arnao Francisco Tomás Barberán Rocío García Villalba María-Teresa García-Conesa María-José Frutos |
| author_facet | Débora Cerdá-Bernad Leonor Costa Ana Teresa Serra Maria Rosário Bronze Estefanía Valero-Cases Francisca Pérez-Llamas María Emilia Candela Marino B. Arnao Francisco Tomás Barberán Rocío García Villalba María-Teresa García-Conesa María-José Frutos |
| author_sort | Débora Cerdá-Bernad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Saffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.) is a spice used worldwide as a colouring and flavouring agent. Saffron is also a source of multiple bioactive constituents with potential health benefits. Notably, saffron displays consistent beneficial effects against a range of human neurological disorders (depression, anxiety, sleeping alterations). However, the specific compounds and biological mechanisms by which this protection may be achieved have not yet been elucidated. In this review, we have gathered the most updated evidence of the neurological benefits of saffron, as well as the current knowledge on the main saffron constituents, their bioavailability and the potential biological routes and postulated mechanisms by which the beneficial protective effect may occur. Our aim was to provide an overview of the neuroprotective effects attributed to this product and its main bioactive compounds and to highlight the main research gaps that need to be further pursued to achieve full evidence and understanding of the benefits of saffron. Overall, improved clinical trials and adequately designed pre-clinical studies are needed to support the evidence of saffron and of its main bioactive components (e.g., crocin, crocetin) as a therapeutic product to combat neurological disorders. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:00:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d2323122add440688841887e356fb726 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6643 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T16:00:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-d2323122add440688841887e356fb7262023-11-24T17:10:07ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-12-011424536810.3390/nu14245368Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological ProtectionDébora Cerdá-Bernad0Leonor Costa1Ana Teresa Serra2Maria Rosário Bronze3Estefanía Valero-Cases4Francisca Pérez-Llamas5María Emilia Candela6Marino B. Arnao7Francisco Tomás Barberán8Rocío García Villalba9María-Teresa García-Conesa10María-José Frutos11Research Group on Quality and Safety, Agro-Food Technology Department, CIAGRO-UMH, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental, Miguel Hernández University, 03312 Orihuela, SpainiBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, PortugaliBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, PortugaliBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, PortugalResearch Group on Quality and Safety, Agro-Food Technology Department, CIAGRO-UMH, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental, Miguel Hernández University, 03312 Orihuela, SpainDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainDepartment of Plant Biology (Plant Physiology), Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, SpainResearch Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainResearch Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainResearch Group on Quality, Safety and Bioactivity of Plant Foods, Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Campus de Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, SpainResearch Group on Quality and Safety, Agro-Food Technology Department, CIAGRO-UMH, Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental, Miguel Hernández University, 03312 Orihuela, SpainSaffron (<i>Crocus sativus</i> L.) is a spice used worldwide as a colouring and flavouring agent. Saffron is also a source of multiple bioactive constituents with potential health benefits. Notably, saffron displays consistent beneficial effects against a range of human neurological disorders (depression, anxiety, sleeping alterations). However, the specific compounds and biological mechanisms by which this protection may be achieved have not yet been elucidated. In this review, we have gathered the most updated evidence of the neurological benefits of saffron, as well as the current knowledge on the main saffron constituents, their bioavailability and the potential biological routes and postulated mechanisms by which the beneficial protective effect may occur. Our aim was to provide an overview of the neuroprotective effects attributed to this product and its main bioactive compounds and to highlight the main research gaps that need to be further pursued to achieve full evidence and understanding of the benefits of saffron. Overall, improved clinical trials and adequately designed pre-clinical studies are needed to support the evidence of saffron and of its main bioactive components (e.g., crocin, crocetin) as a therapeutic product to combat neurological disorders.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/24/5368apocarotenoidsbioavailabilitycrocincrocetincolon microbiotaneurological disorders |
| spellingShingle | Débora Cerdá-Bernad Leonor Costa Ana Teresa Serra Maria Rosário Bronze Estefanía Valero-Cases Francisca Pérez-Llamas María Emilia Candela Marino B. Arnao Francisco Tomás Barberán Rocío García Villalba María-Teresa García-Conesa María-José Frutos Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection Nutrients apocarotenoids bioavailability crocin crocetin colon microbiota neurological disorders |
| title | Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection |
| title_full | Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection |
| title_fullStr | Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection |
| title_full_unstemmed | Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection |
| title_short | Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection |
| title_sort | saffron against neuro cognitive disorders an overview of its main bioactive compounds their metabolic fate and potential mechanisms of neurological protection |
| topic | apocarotenoids bioavailability crocin crocetin colon microbiota neurological disorders |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/24/5368 |
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