21/09/2020
Chrissy Rawson Harrison your saffron is amazing, I heard that it has been officially graded and to be of top notch (the best quality) as a world Gold standard! Congratulations on your farming efforts and labour of love.
Today I’ve made myself some medicated wine in Chinese medicine terms with your own Saffron. I cannot contain myself to wait the two weeks cure time to consume some, however I will, to ensure its full medicinal attributes.
Xi Hong Hua (saffron) medicated wine is to be prescribed strictly for individual needs via a Chinese Medicine Physician due to its potency and other drug interactions it may have. Personally myself, its use is for strong blood moving qualities and pain relief, made in a medium of Gin which goes straight into the Heart channel in Chinese Medicine. I am not currently taking any other drugs or prescriptions like blood thinners such as Warfarin or Coumadin or it would be contraindicated.
You can contact Chrissy to purchase small or large quantities, knowing that you will be supporting an Aussie farmer and getting the best saffron on the market world-wide.
www.trenthamfields.com.au email Christine@trenthamfields.com.au
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Xi Hong Hua……aka Saffron
Saffron known as Xi Hong Hua in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has certain characteristics which are used for the purpose of activating the blood circulation, elimination of blood stasis, cooling and detoxifying the blood and calming the mind. In TCM Xi Hong Hua is used to aid blood circulation in cardiovascular conditions or menstrual irregularities as well as treatment of acute pain caused via Blood Stagnation. Xi Hong Hua is also used to treat blood stasis in treatment of certain tumours, cysts and hardened clots.
Neutral in nature, meaning that is neither too yin or too yang, therefore one doesn’t have to worry that its either too hot or too cold in nature further effecting their internal balance or upsetting any pre-existing conditions . Within the five element theory Xi Hong Hua is categorised as sweet, sweet ingredients like saffron tend to slow down acute reactions and detoxify the body(1).
Sweet flavours within TCM paradigm also have a tonic effect because they replenish Qi (energy) and Blood. Xi Hong Hua is thought to target the heart and Liver directly due to its sweet nature. In addition to regulating blood flow, in TCM the Heart is believed to store of the spirit, basically referring to one’s vitality. On the other hand the Liver is often referred as the body's general due to regulating the movements of Qi and body fluids, also facilitates the role in balancing our emotions(1)
Saffron contains more than 150 volatile and aroma-yielding compounds, three main components of saffron responsible for its pharmacological effects are:
• A natural carotenoid crocin and its derivative crocetin are responsible for the golden-yellow hue of saffron
• The glycoside picrocrocin, a precursor of safranal, is responsible for the bitter taste
• Safranal, the deglycosylated form of picrocrocin, is responsible for the characteristic aroma of saffron. (2-7)
Many of the medicinal properties of saffron and its constituents are attributed to their strong antioxidant and free radical scavenger properties against a variety of radical oxygen species and pro-inflammatory cytokines.(8)
A non-exhaustive selection of current research supporting traditional uses of Xi Hong Hua
Antidepressant
Well recognised effects of saffron are its anti-depressant activity, recorded historically and demonstrated in modern clinical studies. Suggested mechanisms of action include serotonergic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects (9).
Comparison of saffron to standard drug treatment for mild to moderate depression, researchers have reported that short term administration (30mg/d in two divided doses) for six weeks is as effective as fluoxetine (Prozac; a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)(10).
The efficacy of saffron has also been found equivalent to imipramine (a tricyclic antidepressant) (11).
Neurodegenerative disorders
The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of saffron and its constituents have shown therapeutic potential in the management of neurodegenerative disease. Exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids or chronic stress may lead to oxidative injury in the hippocampus, which may impair memory and learning. It has been demonstrated that saffron can prevent oxidative stress in the hippocampus and prevent deficits in spatial learning and memory (12).
The beneficial effects of saffron in the management of neurological abnormalities and Alzheimer’s disease have been shown in various studies (13).
Ocular disorders
Ischaemic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration are leading causes of blindness. The aetiology of these disorders is in part to the reduction of blood flow in the retina and/or choroid. Crocin analogs isolated from saffron have been found to significantly increase the blood flow in the retina and choroid and to facilitate retinal function recovery (14)
Sexual Health
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI’s) can induce sexual dysfunction in men and women, efficacy and safety has been evaluated employing the use of Xi Hong Hua.
Thirty-eight women with major depression stabilised on fluoxetine 40mg/day for a minimum of 6 weeks and experiencing subjective feelings of sexual dysfunction either received saffron (30mg/day) or placebo for 4 weeks. At the end of the study, patients in the saffron group had experienced significantly more improvement in total Female Sexual Function Index. Studies suggest that saffron may safely and effectively improve some of the fluoxetine-induced sexual problems including arousal, lubrication and pain (15).
Thirty-six male patients with major depressive disorder, stabilised on fluoxetine and with subjective complaints of sexual impairment, were randomly assigned to saffron (15mg twice per day) or placebo for 4 weeks. At week 4, saffron resulted in significantly greater improvement in erectile function and in*******se satisfaction domains and total scores than the placebo group. At the end of the study nine patients (60%) in the saffron group and one patient (7%) in the placebo group achieved normal erectile function. Overall saffron was found to be a tolerable and efficacious treatment for fluoxetine-related erectile dysfunction (16)
Xi Hong Hua has showed a positive effect on sexual function with increased number and duration of erectile events seen in patients with erectile dysfunction (17).
References
1. Saffron. Me and Qi database. https://www.meandqi.com/herb-database/saffron
2. Rahaiee S, Moini S, Hashemi M, et al. Evaluation of antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds and various extracts obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.): a review. J Food Sci Technol 2015;52(4):1881-1888.
3.Razavi BM, Hosseinzadeh H. Saffron as an antidote or a protective agent against natural or chemical toxicities. Daru 2015;23:31.
4. Samarghandian S, Borji A. Anticarcinogenic effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and its ingredients. Pharmacognosy Res 2014;6(2):99-107..
5. Rudrappa U. Saffron nutrition facts. https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/saffron.html
6 Moshiri E, Basti AA, Noorbala AA, et al. Crocus sativus L. (petal) in the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Phytomedicine 2006;13(9-10):607-611. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16979327/
7. Alavizadeh SH, Hosseinzadeh H. Bioactivity assessment and toxicity of crocin: a comprehensive review. Food Chem Toxicol 2014;64:65-80.
8. Dalby A. Dangerous tastes, the story of spices. Berkley: California Press, 2000
9. Lopresti AL, Drummond PD. Saffron (Crocus sativus) for depression: a systematic review of clinical studies and examination of underlying antidepressant mechanisms of action. Hum Psychopharmacol 2014;29(6):517-527 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25384672/
10. Noorbala AA, Akhondzadah S, Tahmacebi-Pour N, et al. Hydro-alcoholic extract of Crocus sativus L. versus fluoxetine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a double-blind, randomized pilot trial. J Ethnopharmacol 2005;97(2):281-284
11. Akhondzadeh S, Fallah-Pour H, Afkham K, et al. Comparison of Crocus sativus L. and imipramine in the treatment of mild to moderate depression: a pilot double-blind randomized trial [ISRCTN45683816]. BMC Complement Altern Med 2004;4:12
12. Khazdair MR, Boskabady MH, Hosseini M, et al. The effects of Crocus sativus (saffron) and its constituents on nervous system: review. Avicenna J Phytomed 2015;5(5):376-391
13. Singh D. Neuropharmacological aspects of Crocus sativus L.: a review of preclinical studies and ongoing clinical research. CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets 2015;14(7):880-902.
14. Xuan B, Zhou YH, Li N, et al. Effects of crocin analogs on ocular blood flow and retinal function. J Ocul Pharmacol Ther 1999 Apr;15(2):143-152.
15. Kashani L, Raisi F, Saroukhani S et al. Saffron for treatment of fluoxetine-induced sexual dysfunction in women: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study. Hum Psychopharmacol 2013;28(1):54-60.
16. Modabbernia A, Sohrabi H, Nasehi AA, et al. Effect of saffron on fluoxetine-induced sexual impairment in men: randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2012;223(4):381-388.
17. hamsa A, Hosseinzadeh H, Molaei M, Shakeri MT, Rajabi O. (2009). Evaluation of Crocus sativus L. (saffron) on male erectile dysfunction: a pilot study. Phytomedicine , 16(8):690-3. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2009.03.008. Epub 2009 May 9.
