Hi friends, just adding this topic about Saffron.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385915300116

The toxicity of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its constituents against normal and cancer cells

21 December 2015

Saffron has a selective toxicity against cancer cells.

Crocin is the most important anticancer agent of saffron.

Crocetin inhibits the growth of cancer cells.

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Safranal also has shown antitumor activity with low toxicity. 

http://europepmc.org/article/PMC/5364484

Antiproliferative Activity of Crocin Involves Targeting of Microtubules in Breast Cancer Cells.

24 Mar 2017

Crocin, a component of saffron spice, is known to have an anticancer activity.

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Crocin depolymerized both the interphase and mitotic microtubules of different cancer cells, inhibited mitosis and induced multipolar spindle formation in these cells.

In vitro, crocin inhibited the assembly of pure tubulin as well as the assembly of microtubule-associated protein rich tubulin.

Electron microscopic analysis showed that crocin inhibited microtubule assembly while it induced aggregation of tubulin at higher concentrations. 

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The results suggested that crocin inhibited cell proliferation mainly by disrupting the microtubule network.

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Recently, it was indicated that crocin interacts with tubulin in a manner that increases the polymerization of microtubules in vitro, however, the interaction within the cells has not yet been elucidated.

Microtubules are found to be important targets of structurally different groups of antimitotic drugs that have been used with great success in the treatment of cancer.

Tubulin binders either enhance or decrease the polymerization of microtubules and are known to perturb the dynamics of microtubules.

Since microtubule dynamics play an important role in mitosis, this interference leads to blocking or inhibition of cell mitosis.

The best-known compounds that target microtubules are paclitaxel, colchicine and vinblastine.

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2015/3/anticancer-properties-of-saffron

Anticancer Properties Of Saffron

Issue: Mar 2015

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488115/

Crocus sativus L. (saffron) for cancer chemoprevention: A mini review

Published online: 2015 Jan 28

Thanks.

Kimster