Therapeutic Applications of Crocus sativus L. (Saffron): A Review

Saffron is an integral part of various traditional medicines containing several phytochemicals having disease preventing and health promoting properties. The antidepressant, cardio protective and chemopreventive properties of saffron can be attributed to its constinuent active phytochemicals and bioactive compounds like crocin, crocetin and safranal. Publicly available databases like NCBI-PubChem and ChEMBL have millions of bioactive compounds.This offers opportunity to mine the compound(s) of interest based on desired attributes in the therapeutic area of interest. The current review, attempts to identify potential of molecular basis of bioactive compounds of saffron.