SAFFRON
SAFFRON
Castilian:
saffron
.
English
:
Saffron
.
Egyptians, Israelites and Greeks, it took much appreciation for their medicinal properties. In the Modern Age, their virtues were exaggerated to the point that Hetodt,
German
physician of the seventeenth century, as recommended for all ills, from toothache to the plague. Nowadays it is used more as
a
condiment than as
a
remedy. It is the most expensive spice of all known.
HABITAT:
grows in Mediterranean countries. Spain is
a
leading producer of the world. It is also cultivated in some Latin
American
countries.
Description:
bulbous plant of the
family
of Iridáceas of 10 - 15 cm. tall, which gives
a
beautiful lilac - colored flowers. At the center of
each
flower
there are 3
orange
stigmas of the
saffron
is obtained from
itself
.
Properties and indications:
saffron
contains
a
bitter
principle (picrocina)
a
coloring (crocina) and an
essential
oil. It
has
digestive properties, snacks and
Carmine
. In addition, it is emenagogo and can relieve
menstrual
pain. Externally concentrated infusion is used to rub his gums of
children
and alleviate the discomfort of teething own.
Use:
make an infusion with some snipped
saffron
per cup of water. Be sweetened with honey, molasses (sugar cane honey) or
brown
sugar. To use externally, using
a
concentrated infusion to be prepared with the amount of
saffron
enough so that water acquires
a
dark
brown
.
Drug Action.
The crocina (
CROC
) is
a
marked effect lipid; the picrocrocósido is
a
bitter
substance, with action and aperitive eupéptica. The
saffron
is also stimulating the
nervous
, and emenagogo, via outsourcing, calm the pain and
dental
gums. For its
essential
oil, is Carminative, spasmolytic and eupéptico.
Contraindications.
Pregnancy
, particularly dust and concentrated extracts.
Do not prescribe dosage forms with
alcohol
content to
children
under two years or consultants in the process of
alcohol
addiction
.
Caution / Poisoning.
At very high doses can be emetic,
abortion
and produce dizziness and severe
bleeding
. Lethal dose for adults = 20 g. cases of poisoning come mostly from its use as an abortifacient)
Take into account the
alcohol
content of the fluid extract and tincture.
Galenica forms / Dosage.
Internal use:
Using food as
a
condiment.
Infusion:
2 g / l. One to three cups
a
day.
Dust:
200 - 300 mg / day, as eupéptico - Carminative; 0. 50 to 1 g per day, as emenagogo.
Fluid extract (1:
1) 5 - 10 drops once or twice
a
day.
Tincture (1:
10) 20 - 40 drops three times daily, as
Carmine
.
External use:
Tincture:
applying friction
gum
.
Bibliography.
Benigni, R; Capra,
C
; Cattorini,
P
. Piante Medicinali. Chimica, Pharmacology and Therapy. Milano: Inverni & Della Beffa, 1962, pp. 1801 - 4.
Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Dans la Plantes Les Thérapeutiques Moderne. 2. Paris: Maloine, 1986,
p
. 174.
Bézanger - Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin,
F
. Medicinal plants of temperate Regions. Paris: Maloine, 1980,
p
. 64.
Bruneton, J. Elements of Phytochemistry and Pharmacognosy. Zaragoza: Acribia, 1991,
p
. 350.
James,
A
; Duke, Ph.
D
. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. 5. Boca Raton,
Florida
: CRC Press, 1987,
p
. 148 - 9.
Fernandez, M; Nieto,
A
. Medicinal Plants. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982,
p
. 69; 226.
Mulet, L. Ethnobotanical survey of the province of Castellon. Castellon: Provincial, 1991, pp. 136 - 7.
Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Summary of Matter Médicale. Take II. Paris: Masson, 1967,
p
. 71 - 6.
Samuelsson, G. Drugs of
Natural
Origin
.
A
Textbook of Pharmacognosy. Stockholm:
Swedish
Pharmaceutical Press, 1992,
p
. 198.
Trease, GE, Evans, WCh. Pharmacognosy.
Mexico
City: Inter - MacGraw - Hill, 1991,
p
. 577.
Van Hellemont, J. Compendium of Phytothérapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986,
p
. 121.
Villar, L; Palacín, JM; Calvo,
C
. Gomez,
D
; Montserrat, G. Medicinal Plants of the Aragonese Pyrenees and other tierrras Huesca. 2. Huesca: Provincial, 1992,
p
. 259.
WICHTL, M.
Herbal
Drugs and Phytopharmaceutical.
A
Handbook for Practice on
a
scientific basis. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1994, pp. 167 - 9.
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