Antioxidant activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Crocus sativus L. stigma and its bioactive constituents, crocin and safranal

The antioxidant activity of aqueous and ethanol extracts of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) stigma and its constituents, crocin and safranal were evaluated using deoxyribose, erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and liver microsomal non-enzymatic lipid peroxidation methods in vitro. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts in different concentrations (10, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 µg/ml), crocin and safranal at 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mM were tested. Results showed that test compounds could diminish the extent of MDA generation in three methods (P<0.01 VS control). The effect of crocin at 1,2 mM and ethanolic extract at 500 and 1000 µg/ml in liver microsomal lipid peroxidation were similar to BHT 100 µM in liver microsomal lipid peroxidation (P>0.05). Crocin the main carotenoid in saffron extracts probably and relatively safranal may have an important role in antioxidant properties of the extracts.