title: A review of the chemistry and uses of crocins and crocetin, the carotenoid natural dyes in saffron, with particular emphasis on applications as colorants including their use as biological stains.
abstract: The perennial flowering plant, saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.), is the source of the most expensive spice in the world. The dried stigmas of saffron flowers are the source of a natural dye, saffron, which has been used from ancient times for dyeing silk and fabric rugs, and for painting; it also has been used for cooking and in medicine. The yellow compounds present in the dye include crocins, which are 20-carbon water soluble glycosyl derivatives of the carotenoid, crocetin, and the dicarboxylic acid itself. We review the chemistry of these compounds and discuss various applications of saffron as a natural dye. We review in particular the use of saffron or its constituents in histopathologic techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran.
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Bathaie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farajzade
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hoshyar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D027622:Crocus / Q000737:chemistry*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C487773:trans-sodium crocetinate; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; C029036:crocin
keywords: crocetin; crocin; fabric; histopathologic techniques; natural dye; saffron