Background: saffron is of medicinal plants possessing lots of beneficial effects. This study aimed to investigate therapeutic effects of crocus sativus on the basis of reviews and systematic reviews.
Methods: Computerized search of review articles was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science, Medline data from 1996 to 2015.
Results: Searches identified 8 reviews and systematic reviews of therapeutic effects of saffron. Despite remarkable difference in interventions, and type of studies carrying out on this plant (in vivo and in vitro), it seemed to have many therapeutic effects on the treatment of various types of diseases. In all the reviews, the objectives were similar, e.g. inhibition of growth of cancer cell lines, analgesic activity, improvement of health condition and treatment of some disease but the type of study (in vivo and in vitro) (animal studies: rat, mouse, guini pig, rabbit) and content was quite different. The most common effects of saffron were anti-carcinogenesis, tumoricidal, anti-depressant, antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, antitussive, antigenototoxic and cytotoxic effects, anti-Alzheimer’s, antitussive ,anxiolytic aphrodisiac, antioxidant, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, and relaxant activity, effects on the gastrointestinal tract, on the eyes , on ocular blood flow and on retinal function, effect on coronary artery disease, and hypnotic, anxiolytic ,anesthetic effects.
Conclusion: saffron seemed to have lots of therapeutic effects on the treatment of various types of diseases. However, to be able to use the results of studies in our daily life, additional clinical trials with larger sample size and longer duration may be required to evaluate its toxicity and safety in each and every case of its therapeutic effects.