|
Safranal
Safranal is an organic compound isolated from saffron, the spice consisting of the stigmas of crocus flowers (''Crocus sativus''). It is the constituent primarily responsible for the aroma of saffron. It is believed that safranal is a degradation product of the carotenoid zeaxanthin via the intermediate picrocrocin. Pharmacology Safranal is an effective anticonvulsant in animal models, shown to act as an agonist at GABAA receptors. Safranal also exhibits high antioxidant and free radical scavenging activity, along with cytotoxicity towards cancer cells in vitro. One of its anticancer mechanisms of action involves disruption of the normal assembly dynamics of cellular microtubules. It has also been shown to have antidepressant properties in animals and pilot studies in humans. Natural sources Natural sources of safranal include: *''Microcystis'' (cyanobacterium) *''Aspalathus linearis'' (Rooibos) *''Camellia sinensis'' (Tea leaf) *''Crocus sativus'' (Saffron) *''Ficus carica'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Iran. However, Greece and Mesopotamia have also been suggested as the possible region of origin of this plant. Saffron crocus slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania. Saffron's taste and iodoform-like or hay-like fragrance result from the phytochemicals picrocrocin and safranal. It also contains a carotenoid pigment, crocin, which imparts a rich golden-yellow hue to dishes and textiles. Its recorded history is attested in a 7th-century BC Assyrian botanical treatise, and has been traded and used for thousands of years. In the 21st century, Iran produces some 90% of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saffron
Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Although some doubts remain on its origin, it is believed that saffron originated in Iran. However, Greece and Mesopotamia have also been suggested as the possible region of origin of this plant. Saffron crocus slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and was later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania. Saffron's taste and iodoform-like or hay-like fragrance result from the phytochemicals picrocrocin and safranal. It also contains a carotenoid pigment, crocin, which imparts a rich golden-yellow hue to dishes and textiles. Its recorded history is attested in a 7th-century BC Assyrian botanical treatise, and has been traded and used for thousands of years. In the 21st century, Iran produces some 90% of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Picrocrocin
Picrocrocin is a monoterpene glycoside precursor of safranal. It is found in the spice saffron, which comes from the crocus flower. Picrocrocin has a bitter taste, and is the chemical most responsible for the taste of saffron. During the drying process, picrocrocin liberates the aglycone (HTCC, C10H16O2) due to the action of the enzyme glucosidase. The aglycone is then transformed to safranal by dehydration. Picrocrocin is a degradation product of the carotenoid zeaxanthin Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, goji ( wolfberries), .... References * {{Glycosides Monoterpenes Terpenoid glycosides Glucosides Saffron Aldehydes Cyclohexenes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zeaxanthin
Zeaxanthin is one of the most common carotenoids in nature, and is used in the xanthophyll cycle. Synthesized in plants and some micro-organisms, it is the pigment that gives paprika (made from bell peppers), corn, saffron, goji ( wolfberries), and many other plants and microbes their characteristic color. The name (pronounced ''zee-uh-zan'-thin'') is derived from ''Zea mays'' (common yellow maize corn, in which zeaxanthin provides the primary yellow pigment), plus ''xanthos'', the Greek word for "yellow" (see xanthophyll). Xanthophylls such as zeaxanthin are found in highest quantity in the leaves of most green plants, where they act to modulate light energy and perhaps serve as a non-photochemical quenching agent to deal with triplet chlorophyll (an excited form of chlorophyll) which is overproduced at high light levels during photosynthesis. Animals derive zeaxanthin from a plant diet. Zeaxanthin is one of the two primary xanthophyll carotenoids contained within the retina ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cuminum Cyminum
Cumin ( or , or Article title ) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a in the , native to the . Its seeds – each one contained within a fruit, which is dried – are used in the |
Calycopteris Floribunda
''Getonia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Combretaceae. Its native range is India, Assam to Peninsula Malaysia. Getonia floribunda ''Getonia floribunda'', commonly known as ukshi, is a large climbing shrub which is 5–10 m long, with vines that are about 5–10 cm in diameter, the stem and leaves are said to have medicinal properties. Ukshi is found extensively in the low-lying tropical evergreen forests of the Western Ghats, and rarely in Eastern Ghats of coastal Andhra. These are also found in "''Kavus''" or the Sacred Groves of Kerala. Commonly known as kokkarai in Hindi, Minnarakoti in Tamil, Adivijama, in Telugu. The plant is also grown in central and southern parts of India Hepatoprotective Activity of Extracts from Stem of Calycopteris floribunda Lam. Against Carbon Tetrachloride Induced Toxicity in Rats M. Chinna Eswaraiah *, T. Satyanarayana It bears grey bark and tenuous branches with thick fluff on the surface. The keratinous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centaurea Sibthorpii
''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich. In the western United States, yellow starthistles are an invasive species. Around the year 1850, seeds from the plant had arrived to the state of California. It is believed that those seeds came from South America. Common names Common names for this genus are centaury, centory, starthistles, knapweeds, centaureas and the more ambiguous "bluets"; a vernacular name used for these plants in parts of England is "loggerheads" (common knapweed). The ''Plectocephalus'' group – possibly a distinct genus – is known as basketflowers. "Cornflower" is used for a few species, but that term more often specifically means either '' C. cyanus'' (the annual cornflower) or ''Centaurea montana'' (the perennial c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centaurea Amanicola
''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich. In the western United States, yellow starthistles are an invasive species. Around the year 1850, seeds from the plant had arrived to the state of California. It is believed that those seeds came from South America. Common names Common names for this genus are centaury, centory, starthistles, knapweeds, centaureas and the more ambiguous "bluets"; a vernacular name used for these plants in parts of England is "loggerheads" (common knapweed). The ''Plectocephalus'' group – possibly a distinct genus – is known as basketflowers. "Cornflower" is used for a few species, but that term more often specifically means either ''Centaurea cyanus, C. cyanus'' (the annual cornflower) or ''Centaurea montana'' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Centaurea Consanguinea
''Centaurea'' () is a genus of over 700 species of herbaceous thistle-like flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Members of the genus are found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere; the Middle East and surrounding regions are particularly species-rich. In the western United States, yellow starthistles are an invasive species. Around the year 1850, seeds from the plant had arrived to the state of California. It is believed that those seeds came from South America. Common names Common names for this genus are centaury, centory, starthistles, knapweeds, centaureas and the more ambiguous "bluets"; a vernacular name used for these plants in parts of England is "loggerheads" (common knapweed). The ''Plectocephalus'' group – possibly a distinct genus – is known as basketflowers. "Cornflower" is used for a few species, but that term more often specifically means either '' C. cyanus'' (the annual cornflower) or ''Centaurea montana'' (the perennial c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Erodium Cicutarium
''Erodium cicutarium'', also known as common stork's-bill, redstem filaree, redstem stork's bill or pinweed, is a herbaceous annual plant, annual – or in warm climates, biennial plant, biennial – member of the family Geraniaceae of flowering plants. It is native to Macaronesia, temperate Eurasia and north and northeast Africa, and was introduced to North America in the eighteenth century, where it has since become naturalized, particularly of the deserts and arid grasslands of the southwestern United States. Description It is a hairy, sticky annual, resembling Geranium robertianum, herb Robert but lacking the unpleasant odor. The stems are reddish and bear bright pink flowers, which often have dark spots on the bases. The flowers are arranged in a loose cluster and have ten filaments – five of which are fertile – and five styles. The leaves are pinnate to pinnate-pinnatifid, with hairy stems. The long seed-pod, shaped like the bill of a stork, bursts open in a spiral whe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Organic Compound
In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The study of the properties, reactions, and syntheses of organic compounds comprise the discipline known as organic chemistry. For historical reasons, a few classes of carbon-containing compounds (e.g., carbonate salts and cyanide salts), along with a few other exceptions (e.g., carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide), are not classified as organic compounds and are considered inorganic. Other than those just named, little consensus exists among chemists on precisely which carbon-containing compounds are excluded, making any rigorous definition of an organic compound elusive. Although organic compounds make up only a small percentage of Earth's crust, they are of central importance because all known life is based on organic compounds. Living t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sambucus Nigra
''Sambucus nigra'' is a species complex of flowering plants in the family Adoxaceae native to most of Europe. Common names include elder, elderberry, black elder, European elder, European elderberry, European black elderberry and tramman (Isle of Man). It grows in a variety of conditions including both wet and dry fertile soils, primarily in sunny locations. The plant is widely grown as an ornamental shrub or small tree. Both the flowers and the berries have a long tradition of culinary use, primarily for cordial and wine. Although elderberry is commonly used in dietary supplements and traditional medicine, there is no scientific evidence that it provides any benefit for maintaining health or treating diseases. Description Elderberry is a deciduous shrub or small tree growing to tall and wide, rarely reaching tall. The bark, light gray when young, changes to a coarse gray outer bark with lengthwise furrowing, lenticels prominent. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
