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Post by beebs on May 9, 2012 8:22:47 GMT -5
More medicinal benefits of Saffron. Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2002 Jan;227(1):20-5. Cancer chemopreventive and tumoricidal properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L.).Abdullaev FI. Source Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City 04530, Mexico. fikrat@servidor.unam.mx Abstract Since cancer is the most common cause of death in the world population, the possibility that readily available natural substances from plants, vegetables, herbs, and spices may be beneficial in the prevention of cancer warrants closer examination. Saffron in filaments is the dried, dark red stigmata of Crocus sativus L. flowers and it is used as a spice, food colorant, and a drug in medicine. A growing body of research has demonstrated that saffron extract itself and its main constituents, the carotenoids, possess chemopreventive properties against cancer. This review discusses recent literature data and our results on the cancer chemopreventive activities of saffron and its main ingredients. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11788779
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Post by beebs on May 11, 2012 14:24:04 GMT -5
Saffron, one of many foods containing chemopreventive compounds. Biomedical properties of saffron and its potential use in cancer therapy and chemoprevention trials.Abdullaev FI, Espinosa-Aguirre JJ. Source Laboratorio Oncología Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, Avenida Imán # 1 Torre de Investigación, 04530 México D.F., México. fikrat@sni.conancy.mx Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chemoprevention strategies are very attractive and have earned serious consideration as potential means of controlling the incidence of cancer. An important element of anticancer drug development using plants is the accumulation and analysis of pertinent experimental data and purported ethnomedical (folkloric) uses for plants. The aim of this review is to provide an updated overview of experimental in vitro and in vivo investigations focused on the anticancer activity of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its principal ingredients. Potential use of these natural agents in cancer therapy and chemopreventive trials are also discussed. METHODS: A computerized search of published articles was performed using the MEDLINE database from 1990 to 2004. Search terms utilized including saffron, carotenoids, chemoprevention, and cancer. All articles were obtained as reprints from their original authors. Additional sources were identified through cross-referencing. RESULTS: Studies in animal models and with cultured human malignant cell lines have demonstrated antitumor and cancer preventive activities of saffron and its main ingredients, possible mechanisms for these activities are discussed. More direct evidence of anticancer effectiveness of saffron as chemopreventive agent may come from trials that use actual reduction of cancer incidence as the primary endpoint CONCLUSIONS: This work suggests that future research be warranted that will define the possible use of saffron as effective anticancer and chemopreventive agent in clinical trials. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15582266
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Post by beebs on Jun 19, 2012 12:22:47 GMT -5
The anticancer effect of saffron in two p53 isogenic colorectal cancer cell linesKhuloud Bajbouj, Jan Schulze-Luehrmann, Stefanie Diermeier, Amr Amin and Regine Schneider-Stock BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012, 12:69 doi:10.1186/1472-6882-12-69 Abstract (provisional) Background Saffron extract, a natural product, has been shown to induce apoptosis in several tumor cell lines. Nevertheless, the p53-dependency of saffron's mechanism of action in colon cancer remains unexplored. Methods In order to examine saffron's anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in colorectal cancer cells, we treated two p53 isogenic HCT116 cell lines (HCT wildtype and HCT p53-/-) with different doses of the drug and analyzed cell proliferation and apoptosis in a time-dependent manner. MTT viability and crystal violet assays were performed in order to determine the effective dose of saffron on both cell lines. The cell cycle progress was examined by Flow cytometric analysis. Apoptosis was assessed using Annexin-PI-staining and Western Blotting for caspase 3 and PARP cleavage. Autophagy was determined by Western Blotting of the light chain 3 (LC3)-II and Beclin 1 proteins. The protein content of phospho-H2AX (gammaH2AX), a sensor of DNA double strand breaks, was also analyzed by Western Blotting. Results Saffron extract induced a p53-dependent pattern of cell cycle distribution with a full G2/M stop in HCT116 p53 wildtype cells. However, it induced a remarkable delay in S/G2 phase transit with entry into mitosis in HCT116 p53 -/- cells. The apoptotic Pre-G1 cell fraction as well as Annexin V staining and caspase 3 cleavage showed a more pronounced apoptosis induction in HCT116 p53 wildtype cells. Obviously, the significantly higher DNA-damage, reflected by H2AX protein levels in cells lacking p53, was coped by up-regulation of autophagy. The saffron-induced LC3-II protein level was a remarkable indication of the accumulation of autophagosomes, a response to the cellular stress condition of drug treatment. Conclusions: This is the first study showing the effect of saffron in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells with different p53 status. Saffron induced DNA-damage and apoptosis in both cell lines. However, autophagy has delayed the induction of apoptosis in HCT116 p53 -/- cells. Considering the fact that most tumors show a functional p53 inactivation, further research is needed to elucidate the long-term effects of saffron in p53 -/- tumors. www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/12/69/abstract
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