Saffron and its derivatives, crocin, crocetin and safranal: a patent review

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Saffron and its main components have traditionally been used as pharmaceutical agents. Current experimental research projects have also exhibited their applications in a wide spectrum of disorder treatments.

Area covered: This review covers the demonstrated findings and patents on therapeutic/pharmaceutical properties of saffron and related derivatives, since 2000 to bold their outstanding merit on human health. An extensive literature review was performed in USP Patent, Patentscope, Espacenet and Google Patent in the field of CNS, cardiovascular, urogenital, dermatological and inflammatory disorders.

Expert opinion: The growing body of patents showed the value of saffron and the respective crucial components alone or in combination with the other raw materials, herbal extracts, to apply in various therapeutic/pharmaceutical areas. They could be engaged as an adjuvant treatment in phototherapy, cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases and hypoxia-induced dangerous conditions. However, the application of these components in the clinic has been limited to very few drugs yet. This might be due poor clinical trials data. According the human trend toward the use of plant-derived compounds instead of medicines derived from chemical substances, special attention must be focused to link the worth of saffron, herbal medicine of third millennium, from basic sciences to patients’ bed.

KEYWORDS:

• Crocetin
• crocin
• Crocus sativus
• patent
• saffron
• safranal

Article highlights

• The patent literature on saffron and its derivatives with the focus on various therapeutic/pharmaceutical uses, covering the years 2000-2016, is reviewed

• Trans-sodium crocetinate by increasing tissue oxygenation has a pivotal role in suppression of hypoxia induced dangerous conditions

• Crocin has been patented for increasing the bioavailability of delivery molecules, distinguishing cell phenotype and a good chromophor for phototherapy

• Corcin patents reveal its effectiveness in spermatogenesis and treating depressive syndrome and skin wrinkle

• Safranal has been patented as a worth penetrating enhancer in pharmaceutical sciences

• Patents of polyherbal formulations containing saffron have been introduced in treatment of cancer, CNS, cardiovascular, urogenital, dermatological and inflammatory problems

This box summarizes key points contained in the article.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

This paper has not been funded