Polysaccharide and crocin contents, and antioxidant activity of saffron from different origins

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable herbal plant, and is widely used as a spice, food colorant, and medicine. In this study, variations in total polysaccharides, crocin contents, and antioxidant activities (DPPH, OH, O2- radical-scavenging and reducing power) of saffron from seven different production areas were studied. There were significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among populations for total polysaccharides and crocin contents. The total polysaccharides ranged from 52.65 to 67.18 mg/g, and total crocin contents varied from 80.59 to 230.36 mg/g. Fourier-transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) indicated the chemical structures of polysaccharide and ethanol extracts. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that saffron polysaccharide extracts was composed of rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucose, galactose, xylose and arabinose. Antioxidant assays indicated that both polysaccharide and ethanol extracts have remarkable antioxidant activities and can be used as a new potential antioxidant. Furthermore, the differences of polysaccharides, crocins and antioxidant activities in saffron from different production areas provide the basis for the cultivation and quality evaluation of saffron.