Saffron

Dried stigmas & tops of the styles of Crocus sativus Iridaceae

Cultivation Ground is prepared by ploughing & manuring during April, May & June Corms planted in July – Aug , 20cm apart 4 or 5 rows are planted then a deep wide furrow is left & again another wide ridges Some kind of corn is grown in the wide left over furrows which remins as a path 1st flowering takes place in Sept / Oct of the following yr ( autumn of each year ) Plants stand for 4 yrs after which they are dug up in May / June

Collection Done in early morning in fine weather By women & children in Sept / Nov Flowers put in basket & conveyed to picking houses where stigmas collected & corollas rejected Stigmas placed in sieve heated by charcoal stoves at 50cm ht for 30 – 40min They were turned every 20min Cooled for 30 – 45min & stored in a dark place

Description Stigmas are long tube / funnel shaped Broad at apex & narrowed at base & joins style Occurs as single or attached in threes to a short portion style It forms loose masses of reddish brown colour Sweetish aromatic odour Bitter taste When fresh unctuous to touch When chewed it colors saliva yellow

Constituents Traces of volatile oil Bitter principle (picrocrosin) Red coloring matter (poly chorite / crocin) Carotenoid pigments Proto crocin present in fresh form upon drying 1 Crocin Gentiobiose + crocetin

2 Picrocrocin Glucose + saffranal

Uses Coloring agent Stimulant Antispasmodic Emmenagogue

Tests Under microscope stigmas are either separate or united in 3 to the apex of yellowish style Crocin + cold dil.KOH ∞ and β- crocetin reddish crystals upon acidification ∞- crocetin bluish red crystals Crocin + conc.H2So4 blue color