In collaboration Iranian Medicinal Plants Society

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. of Medicinal Plants, Meshgin shahr Faculty of agriculture, Ardabil, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Science and Medicinal Plants, Meshgin shahr Faculty of agriculture, Ardabil, Iran.

3 Associated Professor, Department of Agriculture Biotechnology, ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, Roma, Italy.

Abstract

Saffron with the scientific name (Crocus sativus L.) belongs to the Iridaceae family. This plant stigma is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its rich apocarotenoids contents crocin (responsible for color), picrocrocin (bitter taste), and safranal (perfume). For quantitative analysis of these metabolites by Spectroscopy and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC UV-Vis) in Saffron stigma biphasic extract, in purpose the aim of introducing a suitable chemotype of this plant for cultivation in Ardabil province, this study was conducted in an experimental design of randomized complete blocks with three different replications. the data analysis of variance with GenStat ver. 12.1 showed that there were significant differences (P <0.01) between the studied areas based on the apocartenoids content, and the mean comparisons with the protected Fisher test showed that among the studied areas the chemotype of Onar village in Meshginshahr city Following the quantitative pattern of apocarotenoids, has a relative dominance in comparison with other regions, and on average, the amounts of crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal in the sample volume range are 0.15±0.1, 4.9±0.11 and 1±0.2 of dry matter was measured respectively. According to the obtained data, According to the obtained data, it can be inferred that this region of Ardabil province compared to other regions of this province has the necessary potential to produce this product with high quality.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Ahrazem, O., Rubio-Moraga, A., Nebauer, S.G., Molina, R.V., and Gómez-Gómez, L. 2015. Saffron: its phytochemistry, developmental processes, and biotechnological prospects. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 63 (40): 8751-8764. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b03194
Azarabadi, N., and Özdemir, F. 2018. Determination of crocin content and volatile components in different qualities of Iranian saffron. Turkish Journal of Gıda 43 (3): 476-89. https://doi.org/10.15237/gida.GD18018
Bergomi, A., Comite, V., Santagostini, L., Guglielmi, V., and Fermo, P. 2022. Determination of Saffron Quality through a Multi-Analytical Approach. Foods 11: 3227.  https://doi.org/10.1021/jf5019356
Bisti, S., Maccarone, R., and Falsini, B. 2014. Saffron and retina: Neuroprotection and pharmacokinetics. Visual Neuroscience 31 (4-5): 1-7.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S0952523814000108
Demurtas, O.C., Frusciante, S., Ferrante, P., Diretto, G., Hosseinpour Azad, N.H., Pietrella, M., Aprea, G., Taddei, A.R., Romano, E., Mi, J., and Al-Babili, S. 2018. Candidate enzymes for saffron crocin biosynthesis are localized in multiple cellular compartments. Plant Physiology 177 (3): 990-1006.  https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.01815
Fantini, E., Falcone, G., Frusciante, S., Giliberto, L., and Giuliano, G. 2013. Dissection of tomato lycopene biosynthesis through virus-induced gene silencing. Plant Physiology 163: 986–989. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.113.224733
Gomez-Gomez, L., Rubio-Moraga, A., and Ahrazem, A. 2010. Understanding carotenoid metabolism in saffron stigmas: unraveling aroma and colour formation. Global Science Books.UK/ Japan, 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1093/bfgp/elx003
Hoshyar, R., and Mollaei, H.A. 2017. Comprehensive review on anticancer mechanisms of the main carotenoid of saffron, crocin. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology 69 (11): 1419-1427.
Hosseinpour Azad, N., Nematzadeh, G.A., Giuliano, G., Ranjbar, G.A., and Yamchi, A. 2016. Identification of apo-carotenoids' crocin and crocetin isomers in saffron crude extracts by HPLC coupled to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and high-resolution orbitrap mass spectrometry. Saffron Agronomy and Technology 21 4 (4): 291-300. (In Persian whit English Summary).
https://doi.org/10.22048/jsat.2016.38670
Jarukas, L., Vitkevicius, K., Mykhailenko, O., Bezruk, I., Georgiyants, V., and Ivanauskas, L. 2022. Effective isolation of picrocrocin and crocins from saffron: from HPTLC to working standard obtaining. Molecules 27: 4286.  https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134286
Kiani, S., Minaei, S., and Ghasemi-Varnamkhasti, M. 2017. Instrumental approaches and innovative systems for saffron quality assessment. Journal of Food Engineering 216: 1-10.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2017.06.022
Ktodawska, K., Bujas, A., Turos-Cabal, M., Zbik, P., Fu, P., and Malec, P. 2019. Effect of growth temperature on biosynthesis and accumulation of carotenoids in cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 under diazotrophic conditions. Microbiological Reserch 226: 34-40.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micres.2019.05.003
Kyriakoudi, A.Z., and Tsimidou, M. 2018. Latest advances in the extraction and determination of Saffron apocarotenoids. Electrophoresis 39 (15): 1846-1859.  https://doi.org/10.1002/elps.201700455
Rajabi, H., Ghorbani, M., Jafari, S.M., Mahoonak, A.S., and Rajabzadeh, G. 2015. Retention of saffron bioactive components by spray drying encapsulation using maltodextrin, gum Arabic, and gelatin as wall materials. Food Hydrocoll 51: 327-237.
Sajjadi, M., and Bathaie, Z. 2017. Comparative study on the preventive effect of saffron carotenoids, crocin, and crocetin, in NMU-induced breast cancer in rats. Cell Journal (Yakhteh). 19 (1): 94. (In Persian whit English Summary).
Sedaghati, S., and Abbaszadeh, F. 2018. Extraction of saffron crocin as a natural pharmaceutical source with crystallization method. International Journal of Pharma Medicine and Biological Sciences 7 (4): 84-87.  https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2010.691.698
Shahi, T., Assadpour, E., and Jafari, S.M. 2016. Main chemical compounds and pharmacological activities of stigmas and tepals of red gold Saffron. Trends Food Science Technology 58: 69-78.
 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2016.10.010