New Discoveries in How Our Gut Bacteria Process Saffron Compounds

Greg Howard
23rd August, 2024

New Discoveries in How Our Gut Bacteria Process Saffron Compounds

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers from CEBAS-CSIC studied how saffron's main compounds, crocin-1 and crocetin, are metabolized by the human gut microbiota
  • Crocin-1 quickly loses its glucose molecules and transforms into crocetin within six hours
  • New microbial metabolites, including dihydro and tetrahydro crocetins, were identified for the first time, suggesting the gut microbiota's significant role in saffron's bioactivity
Saffron, derived from the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., has long been valued for its culinary and medicinal properties. Historically, it has been used to treat a variety of ailments, particularly those affecting the nervous system[2][3][4]. Recent research from CEBAS-CSIC has further explored the interaction between saffron's main apocarotenoids, crocins, and crocetin, and the human gut microbiota, shedding light on the metabolites responsible for its neuroprotective effects[1]. The study aimed to understand how these apocarotenoids are metabolized by the gut microbiota. Using a metabolomic approach, the researchers incubated crocin-1 and crocetin with human fecal samples from two donors, observing the transformation over different time points (0-240 hours). They found that crocin-1 undergoes rapid de-glycosylation, losing its glucose molecules and transforming completely into crocetin within six hours. This discovery of intermediate crocins with varying degrees of glycosylation highlights the dynamic process of these transformations. Moreover, crocetin was further metabolized into new microbial metabolites, including dihydro and tetrahydro crocetins and di-demethyl crocetin, identified for the first time in this study. These findings suggest that the gut microbiota plays a significant role in the bioactivity of saffron's components. The research also noted changes in the levels of short-chain fatty acids, valeric acid, and hexanoic acid, indicating further structural modifications or changes in the catabolic production of these compounds. This study builds on previous findings that have demonstrated saffron's therapeutic potential, particularly for neurological disorders. For instance, saffron and its bioactive constituents, such as safranal and crocin, have shown neuroprotective, anxiolytic, and antidepressant effects in both preclinical and clinical studies[3][4]. The ability of these compounds to pass the blood-brain barrier and their high bioavailability and bioaccessibility make them promising candidates for treating nervous system disorders. By identifying the metabolites formed through the interaction of crocins and crocetin with the gut microbiota, this research provides a clearer understanding of the mechanisms underlying saffron's neuroprotective effects. These insights could pave the way for developing new therapeutic strategies targeting the gut-brain axis, a complex communication network linking the gut and brain. In conclusion, the study conducted by CEBAS-CSIC represents a significant advancement in understanding how saffron's main apocarotenoids are metabolized by the human gut microbiota. This research not only corroborates the rapid transformation of crocin-1 into crocetin but also identifies new microbial metabolites, providing a deeper insight into the potential neuroprotective benefits of saffron. Further research is needed to explore these findings and their implications for developing new treatments for neurological disorders.

HealthBiochemPlant Science

References

Main Study

1) New findings in the metabolism of the saffron apocarotenoids, crocins and crocetin, by the human gut microbiota.

Published 22nd August, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1039/d4fo02233e

Related Studies

2) Saffron: An Old Medicinal Plant and a Potential Novel Functional Food.

https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules23010030

3) Nutritional and health beneficial properties of saffron (Crocus sativus L): a comprehensive review.

https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1857682

4) Saffron against Neuro-Cognitive Disorders: An Overview of Its Main Bioactive Compounds, Their Metabolic Fate and Potential Mechanisms of Neurological Protection.

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14245368


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