title: Saffron can prevent chemically induced skin carcinogenesis in Swiss albino mice.
abstract: One of the most promising strategies for cancer prevention today is chemoprevention using readily available natural substances from vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. Among the spices, saffron (Crocus sativus, L) a member of the large family Iridaceae, has drawn attention because apart from its use as a flavouring agent, pharmacological studies have demonstrated many health promoting properties including radical scavenging, anti- mutagenic and immuno-modulating effects. In the present study the effects of an aqueous infusion of saffron on two stage skin papillogenesis / carcinogenesis in mice initiated by 7-12 dimethyl benz[a] anthracin (DMBA) and promoted with croton oil were investigated. Significant reduction in papilloma formation was found with saffron application in the pre-initiation and post-initiation periods, and particular when the agent was given both pre- and post-initiation. The inhibition appeared to be at least partly due on modulatory effects of saffron on some phase II detoxifying enzymes like glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutahinoe peroxidase (GPx), as well as catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD).
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Chemoprevention, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata-700026, India.
authors.forename: Ila
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Chakrabarty
authors.forename: Sukta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental; D010212:Papilloma / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D002273:Carcinogens; D028321:Plant Preparations; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene