SAFFRON CROCUS SATIVUS

SAFFRON (Crocus sativus L.) ++

Activities (Saffron) :
Abortifacient (2; PHR; PH2); Analgesic (f; APA; CRC; MAD); Antidepressant (f; PNC); Antidote (f; MAD); Antiedemic (1; APA); Antihysteric (f; CRC); Antioxidant (1; PR14:149); Antiradicular (1; PR14:149); Antiseptic (f; CRC); Antispasmodic (f; APA; CRC; HHB); Antitumor (1; PR14:149); Aphrodisiac (f; APA; CRC; MAD); Balsamic (f; CRC); Cardiotonic (f; CRC; EFS; MAD); Carminative (f; CRC; PNC); Diaphoretic (f; APA; CRC); Digestive (f; APA); Ecbolic (f; CRC); Emmenagogue (f; CRC; HHB; PNC); Emollient (f; APA); Expectorant (f; APA; CRC); Gastrogogue (f; PHR; PH2); Hemostat (f; MAD); Hypocholesterolemic (1; APA); Hypolipemic (1; PR14:149); Hypotensive (1; APA); Myorelaxant (f; APA); Narcotic (f; CRC; SKJ); Nervine (f; CRC); Neuroprotective (1; PR14:149); Sedative (f; APA; CRC; HHB); Stimulant (f; CRC; HHB); Stomachic (f; CRC; HHB); Toxic (f; CRC); Uterotonic (1; PHR; PH2).

Indications (Saffron) :
Adenopathy (f; JLH); Aegilops (f; JLH); Amenorrhea (1; CRC; MAD; PH2); Asthma (f; MAD); Bladder (f; CRC); Bleeding (f; DAA; MAD); Bronchosis (f; PH2); Burn (f; JLH); Cacoethes (f; JLH); Cancer (1; APA; PR14:149); Cancer, abdomen (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, bladder (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, breast (1; APA; CRC; JLH); Cancer, colon (1; APA; JLH); Cancer, diaphragm (1; APA; JLH); Cancer, ear (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, eye (1; APA; JLH); Cancer, kidney (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, larynx (1; APA; JLH); Cancer, liver (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, mouth (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, neck (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, spleen (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, stomach (1; APA; CRC; JLH); Cancer, testicle (1 APA; JLH); Cancer, throat (1; APA; JLH); Cancer, tonsil (1; APA; CRC); Cancer, uterus (1; APA; CRC; JLH); Cardiopathy (f; APA); Catarrh (f; CRC; SKJ); Cerebrosis (1; APA); Childbirth (f; DAA; PH2); Cholera (f; CRC); Chorea (f; HHB; MAD); Cold (f; CRC); Condyloma (f; DAA); Conjunctivosis (f; MAD); Cough (f; DAA; MAD); Cramp (f; APA; CRC; DAA; HHB); Cystosis (f; JLH); Depression (f; CRC; DAA; PNC); Dermatosis (f; CRC); Diabetes (f; CRC); Dysmenorrhea (f; DAA; HHB; MAD; PNC); Edema (1; APA); Enterosis (f; JLH); Epistaxis (f; MAD); Fear (f; CRC; DAA); Fever (f; APA; CRC; PH2); Fibroid (f; JLH); Gas (f; CRC; MAD; PNC); Gastrosis (f; JLH); Gout (f; MAD); Hangover (f; LIL); Headache (f; PH2); Hematosis (f; CRC); Hemoptysis (f; DAA; MAD); Hepatosis (f; CRC; JLH; SKJ); High Blood Pressure (1; APA); High Cholesterol (1; APA); Hysteria (f; CRC; DAA; MAD); Induration (f; JLH); Inflammation (f; JLH); Insomnia (f; APA; CRC; HHB); Lacrimosis (f; JLH); Laryngosis (f; JLH); Leukemia (f; JLH); Lochiostasis (f; PH2); Lymphoma (1; APA; JLH); Measles (f; CRC; DAA; MAD); Melancholy (f; CRC; HHB); Menorrhagia (f; HHB; PH2); Menoxenia (f; CRC); Nephrosis (f; JLH); Nervousness (f; APA; CRC; HHB); Neurosis (f; CRC); Obesity (1; PR14:149); Ophthalmia (f; JLH); Orchosis (f; JLH); Pain (f; APA; CRC; DAA; MAD); Parotosis (f; JLH); Pertussis (f; BIB; DAA; MAD); Phymata (f; JLH); Plague (f; MAD); Puerperium (f; CRC); Sclerosis (f; CRC); Shock (f; CRC; DAA); Snakebite (f; SKJ); Sore Throat (f; PH2); Spasm (f; CRC); Splenosis (f; CRC; JLH); Swelling (1; APA); Tonsilosis (f; JLH); Tumor (1; PR14:149); Twitching (f; MAD); Uterosis (f; CRC; DAA; JLH); VD (f; CRC; DAA); Vertigo (f; MAD); Vomiting (f; PH2); Wart (f; CRC).

Dosages (Saffron) :
10–15 stigmata/cup water (APA); 0.5–1.5 g day (APA; HHB); 0.5–2.5 g saffron (PNC); 0.1–1 g powdered saffron (MAD); 15–16 drops tincture (MAD).

Contraindications, Interactions, and Side Effects (Saffron) :
Class 2b. Abortifacient, emmenagogue, and uterotonic. Severe side effects may result from ingesting 5 g saffron (LD = 20 g) (AHP).“Hazards and/or side effects not known for proper therapeutic dosages” (PH2). Controversial. The 200 mg/kg dose of saffron alleged to extend the life of cancerous mice translates to 22,000 mg or 22 grams saffron with this 100-kg rat named Jim Duke. Commission E reports no risks for doses up to 1.5 g; however, 5 g is toxic, 10 g is abortive, and 20 g is lethal (AEH; PHR). Conversely, Tucker and DeBaggio report that “ingesting 0.05 oz (1.5 g) of saffron has resulted in death” (TAD). Paradoxically, the life-saving dose is lethal! It’s good that saffron is so expensive, we won’t have too many fools overdosing on it. Preferring to err on the safe side, let’s think of saffron only as an expensive spice to be used judiciously. Paella anyone?