Safranal

Chembox new
Name = Safranal
ImageFile = Safranal.png ImageName = Safranal
IUPACName = 2,6,6-trimethyl-1,3-
cyclohexadiene-1-carboxaldehyde
Section1 = Chembox Identifiers
CASNo = 116-26-7
SMILES = CC1(C)C(C=O)=C(C)C=CC1
Section2 = Chembox Properties
Formula = C₁₀H₁₄O
MolarMass = 150.21 g/mol
Density = 0.9734 g/cm³
MeltingPt =
BoilingPt = 70 °C at 1 mmHg

Safranal is an organic compound isolated from saffron, the spice consisting of the stigmas of crocus flowers ("Crocus sativus"). It is the constituent primarily responsible for the aroma of saffron.

It is believed that safranal is a degradation product of the carotenoid zeaxanthin via the intermediacy of picrocrocin.

Pharmacology

Safranal is an effective anticonvulsant shown to act as an agonist at GABA_A receptorscite journal | author=Hosseinzadeh H, Talebzadeh F. | title=Anticonvulsant evaluation of safranal and crocin from Crocus sativus in mice. | journal=Fitoterapia. | year=2005 | pages=722–4 | volume=76 | issue=7–8 | pmid=16253437 | doi=10.1016/j.fitote.2005.07.008] cite journal | author=Hosseinzadeh H, Sadeghnia HR. | title=Protective effect of safranal on pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in the rat: Involvement of GABAergic and opioids systems. | journal=Phytomedicine. | year=2006 | pages=? | volume=? | issue=? | pmid=16707256] . Safranal also exhibits high antioxidant and free radical scavenging activitycite journal | author=Hosseinzadeh H, Sadeghnia HR. | title=Safranal, a constituent of Crocus sativus (saffron), attenuated cerebral ischemia induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampus. | journal=J Pharm Pharm Sci. | year=2005 | pages=394–9 | volume=8 | issue=3 | pmid=16401389] cite journal | author=Assimopoulou AN, Sinakos Z, Papageorgiou VP. | title=Radical scavenging activity of Crocus sativus L. extract and its bioactive constituents. | journal=Phytother Res. | year=2005 | pages=997–1000 | volume=19 | issue=11 | pmid=16317646 | doi=10.1002/ptr.1749] , along with cytotoxicity towards cancer cells in vitrocite journal | author=Escribano J, Alonso GL, Coca-Prados M, Fernandez JA. | title=Crocin, safranal and picrocrocin from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) inhibit the growth of human cancer cells in vitro. | journal=Cancer Lett. | year=1996 | pages=23–30| volume=100 | issue=1–2 | pmid=8620447 | doi=10.1016/0304-3835(95)04067-6] . It has also been shown to have antidepressant properties. [cite web
url=http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043148643
title=Antidepressant effect of Crocus sativus L. stigma extracts and their constituents, crocin and safranal, in mice.
publisher=www.cababstractsplus.org
accessdate=2008-03-02
last=
first=] [cite web
url=http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=517724&rendertype=abstract
title=Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: A pilot double-blind randomized trial [ISRCTN45683816]
publisher=www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
accessdate=2008-03-03
last=
first=]

Natural sources

Natural sources of safranal include: [cite web
url=http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/listchempl2a.xsql?chem=Safranal&p_request=Go
title=List of Chemicals
publisher=sun.ars-grin.gov
accessdate=2008-03-02
last=
first=]
*"Aspalathus linearis"
*"Camellia sinensis" (Tea leaf)
*"Crocus sativus" (Saffron)
*"Ficus carica" (Fig leaf)
*"Lycium chinense"

References