Antimitotic effects of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) flower extracts on the root meristematic cells of Chickenpea, Caraway, Onion and Barley plants

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) has long been used as a herbal medicine, and serves asa rich source of carotenoids with anti-cancer and anti-tumor effects. The biologicalactivity of Saffron flower organs is correlated with the chemical composition and concentrations of the main biologically active ingredients in each organ. The present comparative study was designed to evaluate the antimitotic activity of petals, stamens andstigma water extracts of saffron flowers in root meristematic cells of Chickenpea (Cicerarietinum L.), Caraway (Carum carvi), Onion (Allium cepa L.) and Barley (Hordeumvulgare L.). The antimitotic effects of these extracts were determined using root growthand cell division assays. All flower extracts had antimitotic effects on root meristematiccells. Extracts of stigma and petals possessed the most and the least inhibitory effectson spindle formation, respectively. It is speculated that the difference in the antimitoticactivitity of these extracts correlates with the difference in chemical compositionand concentrations of biologically active carotenoid ingredients present in each Saffronflower organ.