藏紅花有抗癌作用？

  近年來，科學家發現藏紅花的花蕊中含有的藏紅花酸（Crocitin）、藏紅花(safranal)、藏紅花素(Crocin)和藏紅花苦素
(Protocrocin)等都具有較強的抗癌活性。特別對於血癌細胞、乳頭癌、扁平細胞瘤和軟組織肉瘤等都具有較強的抑製作用。
其抗癌機製是抑製癌細胞的DNA和RNA合成，抑製細胞蛋白激酶的活性和原癌基因的表達，抑製苯並芘和12-O-14酰基磷酮-13
乙酸鹽（TPA）等致癌物質的毒性，從分子水平抑製腫瘤的形成。其癌細胞的半致死量為0.8～2muM，毒性遠遠小於維甲酸，
因此，藏紅花素等抗癌活性物質將成為21世紀最理想的抗癌藥物之一。 
引自http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/1399485 

Crocetin: An Agent Derived from Saffron (Hong Hua) for Prevention and Therapy for Cancer

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and accounts for approximately 8 million deaths per year worldwide. Although there is an increasing number of therapeutic options available for patients with cancer, their efficacy is time-limited and non-curative. Approximately 50-60% of cancer patients in the United States utilize agents derived from different parts of plants or nutrients (complementary and alternative medicine), exclusively or concurrently with traditional therapeutic regime such as chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The need for new drugs has prompted studies evaluating possible anti-cancer agents in fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. Saffron, a spice and a food colorant present in the dry stigmas of the plant Crocus sativus L., has been used as an herbal remedy for various ailments including cancer by the ancient Arabian, Indian and Chinese cultures. Crocetin, an important carotenoid constituent of saffron, has shown significant potential as an anti-tumor agent in animal models and cell culture systems. Crocetin affects the growth of cancer cells by inhibiting nucleic acid synthesis, enhancing anti-oxidative system, inducing apoptosis and hindering growth factor signaling pathways.

Gutheil WG, et al. Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 4801 Linwood Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64128, USA. [e-mail]. Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2011 Apr 5. Source: PubMed

引自http://acam.typepad.com/blog/2011/05/saffron-research-shows-anti-cancer-activity.html