Crocus sativus, Saffron -Description,Properties, Dose, Therapeutic use

Crocus Sativus also known as keshar, is famous for its cosmetic value as well as medical value. It is cultivated in Kashmir up to 2,000m and in Chaubattia in Uttar Pradesh. Crocus Sativus is a small perennial growing to about 20cm with violet leaves and each flower producing three stamens. It takes about 160 flowers to produce 1g of dried saffron.

SYNONYMS:

Sanskrit : Kesara, Ghusina, Kasmira, Rakta
Assamese : Kumkum
Bengali : Jafran
English : Saffron
Gujrati : Keshar, Kesar
Hindi : Keshar, Keshara
Kannada : Kunkuma, Kesari
Kashmiri : —
Malayalam : Kunkuma Puvu
Marathi : Keshar
Oriya : —
Punjabi : Kesar, Keshar
Tamil : Kungumapuvu
Telugu : Kunkuma Puvvu
Urdu : Zafran

DESCRIPTION OF CROCUS SATIVUS:

a) Macroscopic

Yellowish style, broken or intact along with trifid stigma; stigma is dark red or reddish-brown, cornucopia shaped, with fimbriate margin, and about 25 mm long; broken style are very thin, upto about 10 mm ong; odour, strongly aromatic; taste, slightly bitter.

b) Microscopic

Stigma composed mostly of elongated, thin-walled, parenchyma cells containing colouring matter; at the upper end numerous cylindrical papillae or trichomes up to 150 microns long present; pollen grains, a few, spherical, nearly smooth, from 40 to 120 microns in dia; occasionally germinated and exhibiting pollen tubes.
Powder – Pale reddish-brown; aromatic, shows elongated, thin-walled, parenchymatous cells, unicellular trichomes, a few spherical, smooth, pollen grains measuring 40 to 120 µ in dia. and xylem vessels with annular and spiral thickenings.

CONSTITUENTS – Essential Oils, Bitter Glycoside,crocetin, Picrocrocin and Crocin

PROPERTIES AND ACTION：

Rasa : Katu, Tikta
Guna : Snigdha
Virya : Ushna
Vipaka : Katu
Karma : Vatahara, Varnya, Visaghna, Sleshmahara, Rasayana, Jantuhara, Sthambak

IMPORTANT FORMULATIONS ：

Karpuradyarka, Balarka Rasa, Yakuti, Kunkumadya Taila, Mahanarayana Taila, Pusyanuga Churna

THERAPEUTIC USES  ：

Crocus Sativus is beneficial in Chhardi(vomiting), Kasa, Vrana, Vyanga, siroroga, Drishti Roga, Kantha Roga, Sidhma, Mutrasotha, Udavartta, Mutraghata, Suryavartta, Ardhava Bhedaka.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the use of the stigma and style of Crocus sativus, saffron in migraine, chronic sinusitis, and in urinary obstruction, inflammation of the urinary tract. The saffron is used in Chinese medicine for melancholia, depression, shock and menstrual disorders.
This is also used in various skin disorders. These days various cosmetic products are available which are claimed to have saffron.

Saffron has a nourishing effect on rasa dhatu and an invigorating action on the blood. This can help to bring on delayed menses and increase the flow. It is also used in dysmenorrhoea. It is a wonderful tonic herb that nourishes the deeper tissues. Use with any fertility problems with shukra dhatu deficiency or obstruction (Gogte 2000).Its affinity for the blood and rakta dhatu is complemented by its ability to increase hemoglobin levels. It rejuvenates the shukra dhatu and nourishes the reproductive tissues. Hence, it acts as a good aphrodisiac. (Frawley & Lad 1994)

The stigma showed remarkable inhibitory effect on blood coagulation due to the presence of platelet aggregation inhibitor containing adenosine. It accelerated in vitro fibrinolytic activity of urokinase and plasmin.
Small amounts of Saffron stimulate gastric secretion; larger amounts stimulate uterine smooth muscle and exhibit emmenagogue and abortifacient effects.

DOSE :

Dried style and stigma-25–50mg (API Vol. IV.)