Formula C44H64O24 Soluble in Water | Melting point 186 °C | |
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Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers crocus and gardenia. Crocin is the chemical ingredient primarily responsible for the color of saffron.
Chemically, crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharide gentiobiose and the dicarboxylic acid crocetin. When isolated as a pure chemical compound, it has a deep red color and forms crystals with a melting point of 186 °C. When dissolved in water, it forms an orange solution.
The term crocins may also refer to members of a series of related hydrophilic carotenoids that are either monoglycosyl or diglycosyl polyene esters of crocetin. The crocin underlying saffron's aroma is α-crocin (a carotenoid pigment that may comprise more than 10% of dry saffron's mass.) : trans-crocetin di-(β-D-gentiobiosyl) ester; it bears the systematic (IUPAC) name 8,8-diapo-8,8-carotenoic acid.
The major active ingredient of saffron is the yellow pigment crocin 2 (three other derivatives with different glycosylations are known) containing a gentiobiose (disaccharide) group at each end of the molecule. The five major biologically active ingredients of saffron, namely the four crocins and crocetin, can be measured with HPLC-UV.
Physiological effects on mammalian tissues and organisms
Crocin has been shown to be an antioxidant, and neural protective agent. The antioxidant behavior of crocin is related to the sugar moiety in crocin molecule which has a vital role in its chemical reactivity. It has also been shown to have an antiproliferative action against cancer cells in vitro. Limited evidence suggests possible antidepressant properties of crocin in mice and humans. One study reports aphrodisiac properties in male rats at very high doses.
