Saffron Plant Research Articles

Isolation and cytotoxic properties of a novel glycoconjugate from corms of saffron plant ( Crocus sativus L.)

A novel glycoconjugate isolated from saffron corm extracts shows remarkable cytotoxic activity on cultured human cancer cells (HeLa). Its polysaccharide part represents 94.5% of the molecule, and is dominated by a 36.4% of rhamnose. The protein backbone is composed mainly of aspartic acid/asparagine, alanine, glutamic acid/glutamine, glycine and serine. HeLa cells exposed to this glycoconjugate showed swelling and local plasma membrane evaginations, suggesting that cytotoxicity is mediated by extracellular fluid uptake.

Changes in Gibberellin-like Activity in Corms of Saffron Plant (Crocus sativus L.) during Dormancy and Sprouting

Changes in extractable gibberellin like activity have been followed in corms of saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.) during dormancy and sprouting. Extracts prepared from dormant corms in May and June lacked gibberellin like activity. Detectable though feeble activity appeared in July and increased thereafter reaching a maximum in September. Although the activity decreased somewhat in October and November it spread over a wider zone on the TLC plates suggesting a change in the spectrum of active components. At each of the seven stages, activity was present only in the free acidic fraction. No activity was found to be associated with the bound fraction. Preliminary characterisation of gibberellin like compounds at one stage (in September) suggests the presence of five to six gibberellins one of which corresponds to GA3 and another to unresolved GA4 and GA7.

Hazards of topical mitotic blocking agents.

To the Editor.— With regard to the correspondence between Gaylarde and Sarkany and Kligman (112:556, 1976) as to the advisability of using colchicine ointment in psoriasis, the article by Belisario 1 is relevant. He cites five cases of severe hematopoietic depression leading to death in three, and one death associated with internal toxicity in patients treated topically with demecolcine (Colcemid [Britain]) ointment for skin cancers. Demecolcine is N -desacetyl methylcolchicine. Both demecolcine and colchicine are derived from the meadow saffron plant and block mitoses in metaphase. Demecolcine was reported to be 30 times less toxic than colchicine. The cytotoxic effects of podophyllin, another mitotic blocking agent, and colchicine are similar. 2 One death has resulted from the topical use of podophyllin for condyloma acuminata of the vulva. 3 While I agree with Kligman that one must take risks to alleviate the agony of psoriasis, it would appear that the hazards

A BACTERIAL ROT DISEASE OF SAFFRONS

Bacterial rot of soffron is a typical disease of the tubers, roots, sheaths, foliages and flower stalks. The worst damage is due to the tuber lesions. The primary detection of the disease in Japan is at 1909 and the disease has recently become most serious and widespread, The lesion is destructive when successive cultivation is kept on and also when the diseased tubers are transplanted. The causal organism is a peritrichiate bacterium which is described herein as Bacillus croci, n. sp. It grows readily on various culture media, producing white, round colonies. It produces acid but no gas with carbohydrates and is very resistant to high temperatures and tolerable to a high acidity. Isolution of the organism has been accomplished repeatedly from rot-tuber or decayed sheath. Inoculations of healthy tubers or sheaths with pure cultures produce a rapid, soft decay of sheaths and a tuber-rot. The organism remains on the rot part of saffron plant and in the infected soil. The disease is mainly disseminated by transplanting the disease tubers. Although no means of control has been yet worked out, selection of healthy tubers and disinfection of the seed tubers in saturated lime water for half an hour seem to be advisable.