KUMKUMA

कुङकुम

Nirukti: कुक्यते आदीयते शिरोरूग्व्रणादिनाशनार्थं जनैः इति ।

Kunkuma (Bp. Ni.): It is used to cure Shirovedana and Vrana like disorders.

Latin name: Crocus sativus Linn. (? P.V.-Iridaceae)

Family: Iridaceae

Gana/Varga:

Charaka	Shonitasthapana
Sushruta	Eladi
Bhavaprakasha Nighantu	Karpuradi Varga
API Part I	Vol IV
Dravyaguna Vijnana II P. V. Sharama	Varnya

Synonyms:

Based on Habitat
काश्मीरज : काश्मीरेषु भवम् इति ।	Kashmira (Bp. Ni.): Growsin Kashmir and Jammu in areas above 1,600 m elevation.
बाह्लिक : बाह्लीक देशे उपलभ्यमानं ।	Balhika (Bp. Ni.): Grows in Balhika desha(Punjab province of Pakistan)
Based on Swaroopa(Morphology)
अग्निशिखम् : अग्निशिखा इव केशरो अस्य ।	Agnishikham: Keshara(stigma) are fiery red when dried.
कुसुमोद्भवम् : कुसुमादुद्भवो अस्य ।	Kusumodbhava : The useful part- Keshara(Stigma) is obtained from Pushpa.
रक्तं: रक्त वर्णम् ।	Rakta (Bp. Ni.): Keshara(Stigmas) orange colored turns red on drying.
कुसुम्भ : कुसुम्भ वर्णम् ।	Kusumbha (Bp. Ni.): Keshara(Stigmas) orange colored turns red on drying.
pItakam : pItavarNa janayati |	Pitaka (Bp. Ni.): Anthers yellow in colour.
तीव्रम् : तीक्ष्ण गन्धी ।	Tivram: Very strongly fragrant.
पिशुनम् : सूच्यते गन्धेन ।	Pishuna (Bp. Ni.): Very strongly fragrant.
वरम् :  वीर्यते कम्यते इति ।	Vara (Bp. Ni.): Liked by everyone.
घुसृण : घुष्यते कटुकत्वादिगुणविशेषोऽनेन इति । घुषते कान्तिं करोति इति वा ।	Ghusruna (Bp. Ni.): It has Katu like properties. When applied it imparts complexion.
Based on Karma(Pharmacological Actions)
वर्ण्यम् : वर्णाय हितम् ।	Varnyam: Imparts complexion.

Kanti(complexion), Sankocha (Bp. Ni.), Dhira (Bp. Ni.), Shonidabhidana (Bp. Ni.)

Vernacular names: 

Hindi	Keshar
Assam	Kumkum
Kannada	Kunkumkeshar
Bengal	Jafran
Marathi	Keshara
Gujarat	Keshar
Telagu	Kunkuma puvva
Punjab	Keshar
Tamil	Kunkumappu
Malayalam	Kunkumappuvu
English	Saffron

 Morphology:

Habit: Small bulbous perennial herb, 15-25 cm high; Leaves radical, narrowly linear, channeled, leaf sheaths closely reticulate; Flowers blue, scented, appearing with leaves, throat of perianth bearded, anthers yellow, ovary three celled, stigmas orange coloured, trifid on filiform style tops; Fruits loculicidal capsules.

       Saffron of commerce is the dried style tops with orange coloured stigmas. They are marketed in a loosely matted mass of dark reddish brown flattened stigmas with characteristic aroma and bitter taste. 

Distribution: Cultivated in Kashmir and Jammu in areas above 1,600 m elevation.

Types: Rajanighantu: 2 types

1. Kumkuma

2. Trina kumkuma

Bhavaprakasha nighantu: 3 types.

 

Kashmiraja	Bahlika	Parasika
Has Sukshma keshara, Rakta varna and Padma gandha and is Uttama.	Pandura, Sukshma keshara, Ketaki gandhayukta and is Madhyama	Madhu gandha, Sthula keshara, Ishat pandura varna, is Adhama

 

Guna-Karma:             

Guna	Snigdha
Rasa	Katu, Tikta
Vipaka	Katu
Virya	Ushna
Prabhava	-
Karma
Doshaghnata	Tridoshahara
Anyakarma	Varnya, Kantiprada, Vamihara, Vajikara, Grbhashaya sankochaka, Swedajanana, Raktaprasadana

 

Prayoga: Varna vikara, Shirashula, Vrana, Jantu, Vyanga, Nyachcha, Dhwajabhanga, Kashtaprasava;

Chemical composition: Essential Oils, Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds. It also has many non-volatile active components, many of which are carotenoids including zeaxanthin, lycopene, and various α- and β-carotenes. The volatiles with a very strong odor are consistent of more than 34 components that are mainly terpenes, terpene alcohols, and their esters. Non-volatiles include crocins 14 that are responsible for the red or reddish brown color of stigmas together with carotenes, crocetin, picrocrocin (a glycosidic precursor of safranal), the bitter substance and safranal the major organoleptic principle of stigmas. crocin -(responsible for the color), picrocrocin- (responsible for the bitter taste), and safranal- (responsible for odor and aroma)

Prayojya Anga: Keshar(Dried Style and Stigma): Yellowish style, broken or intact along with trifid stigma; stigma is dark red or reddish-brown, cornucopia shaped, with fimbriate margin, and about 25 mm long; broken style are very thin, upto about 10 mm long; odour- strongly aromatic; taste- slightly bitter.

Sangraha Kala: Flowers are collected during November and December.

Amayika prayoga:

Bahya:

1. Nyaccha and Vyanga: Kalka is applied.

2. Weakness of eyes: Eye drops of Kumkuma is beneficial.

3. Yakrutshotha: Kalka should be applied.

4. Ardhavabhedaka, Suryavarta : Keshara should be mixed with Ghruta and Sharkara and should be heated little. Nasya of same ghruta should be given in Ardhavabhedaka, Suryavarta etc where in pain is present in Bhru, Shankha, Karna, Akshi regions. (Shodhala)

 

Abhyantara:

1. Mutravaha srotas: Katu, Ushna property acts as Mutrala in Mutraghata.

Mutraghata: One Karsha of Keshara should be mixed with Madhu and udaka and kept for night. Morning this water should be given in Mutraghata to cure it. (Sushruta)

Matra: 25-50 mg.

Vishishta Yoga: Kunkumadi Ghruta, Kunkumadi taila

Adulterants: Other parts of the flower; Stamens of safflower and florets of marigold; artificially dyed corn silk or fibres.

Identification

i. When sprinkled on sulphuric acid, the stigmas turn blue immediately, gradually changing to purple and finally purplish red.

 

Research:

1.Effect on sexual behavior: The aphrodisiac activities of C. sativus stigma aqueous extract and its constituents, safranal and crocin, were evaluated in male rats. The aqueous extract (80, 160, and 320 mg/kg body wt.), crocin (100, 200, and 400 mg/kg body wt.), safranal (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ml/kg), sildenafil (60 mg/kg body wt., as a positive control), and saline were administered intraperitoneally to male rats. Mounting frequency (MF), mount latency (ML), intromission latency (IL), and ejaculation latency (EL) were the factors evaluated during the sexual behavior study. Crocin, at all doses, and the extract, especially at doses 160 and 320 mg/kg body wt., increased MF, IF, and EF behaviors and reduced EL, IL, and ML parameters. Safranal did not show aphrodisiac effects. This study exhibited an aphrodisiac activity of saffron aqueous extract and its constituent crocin. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249922/)

2.Anxiolytic activity: This study was designed to investigate in rodents whether or not crocins possess anxiolytic properties. For this aim, the light\dark test was selected. Either crocins, at a dose which did not influence animals’ motor activity (50 mg/kg), or diazepam (1.5 mg/kg), increased the latency to enter the dark compartment and prolonged the time spent in the lit chamber in the rats. Conversely, lower doses of crocins (15-30 mg/kg) did not substantially modify animals’ behavior. The present results indicate that treatment with these active constituents of C. sativus L. induces anxiolytic-like effects in the rat. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249922/)

3.Effect on coronary artery disease: Fifty milligrams of saffron dissolved in 100 ml of milk was administered twice a day to human subjects, and the significant decrease in lipoprotein oxidation susceptibility in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) indicates the potential of saffron as an antioxidant. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249922/)

Important references: