Posted on 08/22/2011 7:23:03 AM PDT by decimon
Spice promotes apoptosis and inhibits growth of cancerous cells in animal models
New research suggests that saffron provides a significant chemopreventive effect against liver cancer in animal models. When saffron was administered to rats with diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer an inhibition of cell proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis was observed. Full findings appear in the September issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), or liver cancer, is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer mortality in the world. Medical evidence has shown that chronic infection with hepatitis B and C are major risk factors for HCC, and exposure to environmental carcinogens, iron overload, fatty liver disease and alcohol abuse can also contribute to development of liver cancer. DEN, an environmental carcinogen, is found in tobacco-smoke, cosmetics, gasoline, and processed foods including milk and meat products.
"In the fight against cancer, there has been much interest in chemopreventive properties of natural herbs and plants," said Prof. Amr Amin from United Arab Emirates University. "With limited treatment options, approaches that prevent cancer development are among the best strategies to protect against the disease." Prior studies have shown that saffron, a naturally derived plant product, possesses antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. Saffron is a commonly used spice, adding flavor and color to foods, and a possible cancer-fighting substance that is readily available.
In order to further explore the potential of saffron in preventing the development and progression of HCC, DEN was used to induce lesions in rats, mimicking benign and malignant tumors in humans. The research team administered saffron to the animals at 75mg/kg, 150 mg/kg, and 300 mg/kg per day two weeks prior to DEN injection and continued the regimen for 22 weeks.
Results show saffron significantly reduced the number and the incidence of liver nodules, with animals receiving the highest dose of saffron showing complete inhibition of hepatic nodules. Animals that received pre-treatment with saffron displayed a decrease in the elevation of gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, alanine aminotransferase and alpha-fetoprotein (GGT, ALT, αFP)—proteins which indicate liver damage. Furthermore, saffron inhibited the elevation of cells positive for Ki-67, cyclooxygenase 2, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nuclear factor-kappa Bp-65 and the phosphorylated tumor necrosis factor receptor, all of which have respective roles in the development and progression of cancerous cells.
"Our findings suggest that saffron provides an anti-cancer protective effect by promoting cell death (apoptosis), inhibiting proliferation of cancerous cells, and blocking inflammation," concluded Prof. Amin. "Further investigation of saffron extract and its mechanism of action in HCC is currently underway."
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This study is published in Hepatology. Media wishing to receive a PDF of the article may contact healthnews@wiley.com.
Full Citation: "Saffron: A Potential Candidate for a Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Against Hepatocellular Carcinoma." Amr Amin, Alaaeldin A. Hamza, Khuloud Bajbouj, S. Salman Ashraf, Sayel Daoud. Hepatology; Published Online: July 19, 2011 (DOI: 10.1002/hep.24433); Print Issue Date: September 2011. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hep.24433/abstract.
Author Contact: Russell Rein with the United Arab Emirates University at Russell@uaeu.ac.ae or +971 3 713 5991.
About the Journal
Hepatology is the premier publication in the field of liver disease, publishing original, peer-reviewed articles concerning all aspects of liver structure, function and disease. Hepatology's current impact factor is 10.885.Each month, the distinguished Editorial Board monitors and selects only the best articles on subjects such as immunology, chronic hepatitis, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, genetic and metabolic liver diseases and their complications, liver cancer, and drug metabolism. Hepatology is published on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD). For more information, please visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1527-3350 .
About Wiley-Blackwell
Wiley-Blackwell is the international scientific, technical, medical, and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, with strengths in every major academic and professional field and partnerships with many of the world's leading societies. Wiley-Blackwell publishes nearly 1,500 peer-reviewed journals and 1,500+ new books annually in print and online, as well as databases, major reference works and laboratory protocols. For more information, please visit www.wileyblackwell.com or our new online platform, Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), one of the world's most extensive multidisciplinary collections of online resources, covering life, health, social and physical sciences, and humanities.
Mad about saffron ping.
I’m just mad about saffron ...
Saffron Botanical name crocus sativus, is the most expensive spice in the world. Derived from the dried stigmas of the purple saffron crocus, it takes anything from 70,000 to 250,000 flowers to make one pound of saffron. Moreover, the flowers have to be individually hand-picked in the autumn when fully open. Fortunately, only a little needs to be added to a dish to lend it color and aroma; too much makes the food bitter and possibilities that large quantities of it can be toxic
Records detailing the use of saffron go back to ancient Egypt and Rome where it was used as a dye, in perfumes, and as a drug, as well as for culinary purposes. It reached China in the 7th. century and spread through Europe in the Middle Ages. The town of Saffron Walden, where it was once grown commercially, takes its name from the plant. Now, however, most saffron is imported from Iran and Spain which is recognized as producing the best quality, but it can also be found in Egypt, Kashmir, Morocco and Turkey.
http://recipehut.homestead.com/ExpensiveSpices.html
whoo-hoo for risotto milanese, which is yellow from the saffron....
Thanks for what you’re doing. All this talk about a shortage of drugs doesn’t worry me in the least. We may all be better off because of it.
You're welcome.
All this talk about a shortage of drugs doesn’t worry me in the least. We may all be better off because of it.
It's good to see that studies are being done on natural products. Or somewhat natural products.
Wouldn’t it be a shame if prozac and the other, ‘take the edge off of reality’ drugs had shortages?
I see articles like this over and over - This or that common herbal or spice product cures (Insert disease here.) And yet nothing ever comes of it. Is there a Big Pharma conspiracy, or are the articles just more BS?
A quick Internet check indicates that a myriad of health claims have been made about saffron over the centuries. Iran produces over half of the world’s better quality saffron. This study was conducted at the UAE University. Therefore, while the results were published in a respected journal, I remain from Missouri
I'm not big on conspiracies. Big Pharma concentrates on short-term cures with manifest results. I don't see that as being bad. Nutrition is more about the long term so results are difficult to detect.
Maybe nutrition should be thought of as playing the odds. Taking vitamin D guarantees you nothing but may help keep your chemical processes in balance and so make you less susceptible to illnesses. Or something like that. The idea is to shift the illness odds in your favor.
Other vitamins, minerals, spices, herbs or what not may also help shift the odds in your favor. I hope researchers can discovery just what are the best odds shifters.
Eat 2 plates of Paella and call me in the morning.
I Luv Saffron!
How was saffron administered?
Yep and it is easy to grow your own to cook with.Just buy saffron crocus bulbs and harvest the threads yourself.
That is an urban myth.Saffron is a cooking herb it is not LSD.
Thanks, decimon. Here’s some more info about saffron.
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/spices-and-herbs/207/2
http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/saffron.html
http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/health-benefits-of-saffron-9085.html
brain-lapse, safrole is DEA List I not saffron
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