Potential Benefits of Ukrainian Crocus sativus as Anti-inflammatory agent

The positive effects of plants on human health have been used for centuries and are well accepted by patients to the present day. The efficacy of phytotherapeutics often results from a complex compounds composition. In addition to the usual primary metabolites (carbohydrates, minerals, fats and vitamins), Crocus sativus L. also has a number of different secondary metabolites: carotenoids, monoterpenoids, flavonoids and anthocyanins, which influence its pharmacological effects. For analysis of chemical composition of ethanolic (80%, vol/vol) extract from Crocus stigma from Ukraine were used Shimadzu Nexera X2 LC-30AD HPLC system with an ACE C18 column (250 mm×4.6 mm, 5.0 μm) in a solvent system with 0.1% acetic acid in water under gradient increase elution of acetonitrile from 5 to 95%. The detection wavelengths were at 310, 250 and 440 nm. Compounds identified based on chromatographic retention time (tR), UV spectra. The HPLC fingerprint revealed presence of crocin (more than 163 mg/g), picrocrocin (197 mg/g), safranal (146 mg/g) as major components in Crocus stigma extract. Additionally, were found apigenin, rutin, ferulic acid and caffeic acid. Using fMLF/CB-induced superoxide anion generation and elastase release assays in human neutrophils C. sativus stigma extracts inhibited fMLF/CB-induced elastase release in human neutrophils at 10 μg/mL (Inh% 17.80 and 44.70, respectively). Crocus stigma extract exerted promising anti-inflammatory activity and further evaluation is needed to understand the active ingredients responsible for the effects.