Safranal is an

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. Th ...

isolated from

saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of ''Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma (botany), stigma and stigma (botany)#style, styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly ...

, the spice consisting of the stigmas of

crocus ''Crocus'' (; plural: crocuses or croci) is a genus of seasonal flowering plants in the family Iridaceae (iris family) comprising about 100 species of perennials growing from corms. They are low growing plants, whose flower stems remain underg ...

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 Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, cor ...

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), ...

via the intermediate picrocrocin.

Pharmacology

Safranal is an effective anticonvulsant in animal models, shown to act as an

agonist An agonist is a chemical that activates a receptor to produce a biological response. Receptors are cellular proteins whose activation causes the cell to modify what it is currently doing. In contrast, an antagonist blocks the action of the ago ...

at GABA_A receptors. Safranal also exhibits high

antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricants ...

and free radical scavenging activity, along with cytotoxicity towards cancer cells

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called "test-tube experiments", these studies in biology and ...

. 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 ''Microcystis'' is a genus of freshwater cyanobacteria that includes the harmful algal bloom-forming '' Microcystis aeruginosa''. Many members of a ''Microcystis'' community can produce neurotoxins and hepatotoxins, such as microcystin and cy ...

'' (cyanobacterium) *'' Aspalathus linearis'' (Rooibos) *''

Camellia sinensis ''Camellia sinensis'' is a species of evergreen shrub or small tree in the flowering plant family Theaceae. Its leaves and leaf buds are used to produce the popular beverage, tea. Common names include tea plant, tea shrub, and tea tree (not ...

'' (Tea leaf) *'' Crocus sativus'' (Saffron) *''

Ficus carica The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the w ...

'' (Fig leaf) *'' Lycium chinense'' (Wolfberry) *'' Cuminum cyminum'' (Cumin Seed) *'' Centaurea sibthorpii'' *'' Centaurea amanicola'' *'' Centaurea consanguinea'' *'' Erodium cicutarium'' (common stork's-bill or pinweed) *'' Calycopteris floribunda'' (Ukshi) *''

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 (Isl ...

'' (elderberry) *'' Citrus limon'' (lemon) *''

Achillea distans ''Achillea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, known colloquially as yarrows. The plants typically have frilly leaves. The common name "yarrow" usually refers to '' A. millefolium''. The genus was named after the ...

References

{{Anticonvulsants Aldehydes Antidepressants Saffron Monoterpenes GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulators Anticonvulsants